


Camp Red Bird

by ryleempiatt



Category: Love Island (Video Game)
Genre: Broken Families, Friendship/Love, Grief/Mourning, Healing, Multi, Summer Camp, United States
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:56:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 115,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27171394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryleempiatt/pseuds/ryleempiatt
Summary: It's her first year running her family's summer camp all on her own. She meets a certain Scotsman that makes her feel things she's never felt before. Will they be able to say goodbye at the end of summer?
Kudos: 11





	1. May 31, 2020

**Author's Note:**

> Super excited for this one. It's been in the works for a while. Putting my thoughts into words have proven to be very difficult. Leave a comment or kudos and let me know what you think! 🖤

The light peeking over the horizon floods her room, kissing her face warmly. She stirs when it touches her closed eyes, making her wake up. The orange glow from the sunrise illuminates her pale skin, her freckles popping vibrantly against the glow. Her hazel eyes gleam brightly as she lays there quietly. The big loose curls in her golden blonde hair perfectly messy. She sits up and looks around the room before getting out of bed. She starts the coffee and walks out to the back porch, the sun warming her soul. She sighs and looks over the hills, a soft breeze winding through the trees. She smiles and looks over the lake at the camp on the other side. She feels a cold nose poking her leg, looking down to see Hazel.

"Good morning, precious. Are you ready for this years campers? This summer we're in charge." Hazel barks and wags her tail. "Then let's go get ready for them to come tomorrow." Hours later she finds herself at her desk in her office. Her phone rings, startling her. "Hey, babe."

"Hey! I know I'm supposed to be there by now but I'm running a bit late. Traffic and all that, but I'll be there soon."

"Aww. You're gonna miss my first staff meeting as boss lady." He chuckles.

"I know it'll be great no matter what, love. I'm trying to get there as fast as I can."

"Okay, but you owe me for being late on your first day."

"I think I can do that. Name it and you got it. Quick question though, would it be inappropriate to offer sex to make up for it if you're my boss and my girlfriend?" She giggles.

"Let's just say this phone call is as your girlfriend and not your boss, so yes it's okay. I'll let you know when I'm your boss." 

"Then I will so make it up to you." She bites her lip.

"Think of all the ways you can do that."

"Don't tempt me just yet. At least wait until I'm there." 

"Alright, alright. Well I have to go, I've got to go get the meeting started."

"Okay. I'll see you soon, babe."

"Okie dokes."

"I love you, Jacinda." She blushes and clears her throat.

"I thought we agreed it's too soon for that."

"I'm not trying to get you to tell me it back. It's okay if you aren't ready but I know I feel that way and I want to let you know what you mean to me. So I'm saying it because I do, not because there's some hidden agenda or anything."

"Okay. Well I've got to go. Talk to you soon." She hangs up and sighs, looking down at Hazel. "Let's get this started and pretend that conversation didn't just happen." With Hazel close on her heels she makes her way out of the office, her arms filled with papers.

********

Bobby sits next to Gary at the table. He looked over at his best mate, who was chatting with another lad named Arjun. He had a black mustache and a geometric wolf tattoo on his arm, popping against his deep tan skin. People always commented on how different Bobby and Gary looked together. Gary had pale ivory skin while Bobby's was a warm bronze. Gary had icy blue eyes while Bobby's was a golden amber color. Bobby had dark brown hair while Gary had bright blonde hair. Bobby was fit and lean but Gary was much more muscular. Besides their looks though they had a lot in common, which was why they were best mates. Gary turns to Bobby.

"You're gonna love my cousin. She's so amazing. She's pretty, she has great banter, she's nice and generous, she's smart and talented. She's one of those birds that catches any man's attention when she walks by them in the streets. Which has caused quite a few fights on my end...but anyway. She's so amazing."

"Mate, why does it sound like you're trying to set me up? You know I have a girlfriend." Gary rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, Allegra. The girl that keeps bouncing between you and your best mate."

"Miles is my ex-best mate." Gary sighs.

"Bruv, be honest. Do you love her?" Bobby shrugs.

"Maybe, I don't really wanna use that with her yet when she's still so unsure. I mean, I like her a lot. She can be really sweet when no one is looking. She just feels like she has to put up a strong front, she's been burned pretty bad in the past." 

"She just seems too indecisive and a bit over the top for you. I mean you like birds that are a bit extra anyway but she's too extra." Suddenly Bobby notices a woman standing on the other side of the room, bent over petting her dog. She had long golden blonde hair and a perfect hourglass figure. Her smile was hypnotizing. She stands up and walks towards their table, his heart started pounding in his chest.

"Woah." Gary watches the way Bobby stares at her and smiles.

"That's more like it." He stands up and meets her halfway, engulfing her in a tight hug that makes her laugh. He pulls away and leads her over. "Bobby this is Jacinda, my cousin. Jacey, this is Bobby." She finally meets Bobby's eyes and smiles. He looks deep into her eyes, his brain turning to mush. 

"So you're the famous pastry chef I've heard so much about. It's nice to have a face to go with the name." Gary nudges Bobby, pulling him out of his trance. He shakes his head and smiles.

"Aye, same with you. Gary's talked about you nonstop the whole time I've known him...so about a year." She nods.

"Sounds about right, but he tends to exaggerate so hopefully I come off better than he mentioned." Bobby chuckles and nods.

"He seemed to be right so far, which is a good thing." Hazel runs up to Bobby and stands up with her paws on his chest, licking his face. 

"Hazel, come! I'm so sorry, she's usually not like this with strangers." She puts her hands on her hips and looks at Hazel. "I guess someone should've stayed home if they didn't want to listen." He scratches Hazel's ears, making her tongue hang out the side of her mouth.

"It's alright, I love dogs. And this girl is a very pretty one. Hi Hazel, it's nice to meet you." Hazel wags her tails, her whole body shaking with it. 

"Well, come on, girl. The meeting is about to start." Hazel follows her up to the front of the crowd, after a couple failed attempts at getting everyone's attention Jace cups around her mouth and yells. "Shut the fuck up!" Everyone stops and stares, she just smiles back sweetly. "Sorry for that but y'all are hard to get attention from. Anyway, it's nice to see y'all again. Even the new comers seem to be nice, we'll just have to wait and see." She meets Bobby's eyes and raises her eyebrows. "I have high expectations from some of your recommendations." She looks at Gary before she keeps talking. "First thing's first, we're going to talk about...well, me. Most of you know my parents are the ones who own and run this place but this year I'm filling their spots. Some unexpected events have pleaded for their attention and they can no longer split their attention. I haven't changed anything except the campers have a bit more free time. On each table is copies of the rules and regulations, menu, events, and daily schedule. We have a full roster of campers this summer so it's vital we all stay in tune with each other and stay focused on playing our part in this. But most importantly, have fun. We may be the adults here but that doesn't mean we can't have a good time ourselves...just no drugs or alcohol. And yes, Gary, no strippers." Gary rolls his eyes.

"You take the fun out of everything!" Scattered laughter eases the tension.

"Get over it. Now is there any questions?" After a moment of silence she nods slowly. "Good. So tomorrow is when they'll actually arrive. Check in will be between 9 am and 1 pm. Y'all spend the night getting settled and preparing for the next day. So, yeah. Go have fun, relax, prepare, read your tea leaves and what not." Everyone starts splitting up, heading out of the mess hall. Two girls approach them as they stand. The one with short blonde hair squeals happily.

"Gary!!" He turns and smiles at her.

"Chelsea!!!" He looks at the platinum blonde goth next to her, his smile fading. "Lottie." She glares at him.

"Gary." Gary puts and arm around Bobby's shoulders.

"This is my mate, Bobby. Bobby, these are the girls. That one is Chelsea, she is the activities director. That thing is Lottie, she's in charge of the dancing classes." Bobby smiles at them.

"Nice to meet you both." Chelsea bites her lip as she checks him out. 

"Can't wait to see what you bring to the group." He blushes and looks down a moment, clearing his throat.

"Right. So who else is in this group?" Chelsea taps her chin as she starts ticking off names.

"Me, you, Gary, Lottie, Arjun, Kassam and Jace. Although she probably won't be around much now that she's in charge. She might though since her boyfriend is going to be here too. I wonder where he is." Gary frowns.

"Boyfriend??? Since when?" Chelsea shrugs.

"Don't know, but she really likes him. He's gonna be a counselor here." Bobby looks back at Jacinda, the conversation from the others fading away. He sees her talking to a man with short black hair and a solid black line tattoo on his left forearm. She laughs at something he says, her cheeks turning a light rosie pink shade from laughing. He turns back and sees Lottie looking at him, her eyebrows raised as she smirks. 

"I'm not so sure about that. She seems to have a different future ahead of her." Chelsea looks over at Jace.

"Oooh, I wonder if that's him." There was now a guy with long blonde hair, enthusiastically talking to her. The group approaches them.

"Hey y'all! This is Henrik, our new outdoors instructor. He will be our hiking guide, camping guide, and pretty much all around outdoors guy. Henrik this is Lottie, our dance instructor, Gary our handyman, Chelsea our activities director, Arjun our head chef, Bobby our pastry chef, and Kassam our musician." She points between the guy with the tattoo and Bobby. "You two actually haven't met. Kassam this is Bobby, Bobby this is Kassam." Bobby shakes his hand.

"Nice to meet you, mate." He nods once.

"Likewise." Henrik shakes each of their hands.

"It's so great to meet everyone, I'm really excited to be here." Another man approaches them, putting his arm around Jace's shoulder. She beams up at him.

"Noah! You made it!" She wraps her arms around his neck, giving him a kiss. She looks back at everyone. "This is Noah, our new counselor-" Gary frowns.

"And your secret boyfriend." She sighs pinches the bridge of her nose.

"Gaz, not now. It wasn't personal I just wanted to give us a chance of building a foundation before you attempted to scare him off." Gary crosses his arms, pouting. 

"I don't scare them off...they're just weak and can't take a bit of banter."

"Telling them how much weight you can lift and how much damage you can do isn't banter. Letting them know how much you care about me and telling them stories of what happened to guys in the past that hurt me isn't banter. They're threats." He shrugs.

"Like I said, they're weak." She rolls her eyes.

"Anyway, babe, this is everyone. This is Gary, Bobby, Chelsea, Lottie, Arjun, Kassam and Henrik. Don't let Gary scare you-"

"No you should be very afraid. I don't take to secret boyfriends lightly."

"Ugh, Gary...drop it." Hazel sits next to Bobby, looking up at him as her tongue hangs out. He smiles and scratches her ears. Jace takes Noah's hand and leads him away, only realizing once she gets to the doors that Hazel wasn't with her. She turns and smiles at her. "Hazel, I know you love your new friend but we need to get going. Come." Hazel just sits there beside Bobby.

"I mean, I don't mind. She can hang out with us so you can do whatever you need to do." She peers at him through squinted eyes as she thinks a minute before sighing.

"Don't let my dog die." He smiles at her.

"I'll protect her with my life." She leads Noah away, leaning against him as they walk. He watches them a minute before Hazel gets his attention by licking his hand. "Looks like we get to hang out for the day. What do you wanna do first?" She barks and wags her tail, walking towards the door. "Looks like we're going for a walk, anyone else can join if they want." Henrik smiles.

"I'll go, I want to see the rest of the camp grounds." Lottie shrugs.

"I'll go too. Y'all need someone who knows where they're going." The three of them, plus Hazel, head outside. As they walk through the camp grounds Lottie points out the different buildings. Hazel stays beside him the whole time. Lottie lets a smile slip as she looks at his faithful companion. "You know, she's nice to everyone but she never chooses anyone over Jacinda. She follows her everywhere." Bobby smiles.

"She chose me."

"That's a big deal. They say animals can read a person from the moment they meet them. So I guess that means you're alright." 

"I'm glad I get your seal of approval. Do you have dogs, Henrik?"

"Nah, I love them but no. I used to have one, Pupparino. He was a wolf actually...didn't know that when I saved him." Lottie furrows her eyebrows.

"How did you not know he was a wolf???"

"He was a puppy! He just looked dirty to me! I didn't know until I took him to the vet." 

"I like dogs but I'm more of a cat person. I have a black cat named Salem." Bobby shakes his head.

"Surprisingly I expected that." She smiles.

"I know, it's cliché but I always wanted a black cat named Salem. My mom got him for me when I moved out of her house, a house warming present she called him." Henrik looks at her.

"So what else do you like to do besides dance?"

"I'm into the usual witch stuff. You know reading tea leaves, tarot cards, reading stars, using crystals, minor hexes and curses, things like that." Bobby nods slowly.

"Again, I'm not surprised. Maybe you can read my tea leaves some time."

"Let's do it now! I'd love to do it! I read Jacinda's everyday."

"What did they say today?"

"That's a secret between Jace, me and the tea leaves." For a minute Bobby just walks silently beside them, thinking about Jace and what kind of person she is. He couldn't get a good read on her. "You should get to know Jace, I think you two could really get along. She's funny, smart, honest, loyal, trustworthy, generous, artistic. Plus she's absolutely gorgeous, guys ask her out everywhere we go." He sighs.

"My girlfriend wouldn't like me getting too close to her and I don't think her boyfriend would like it either." She frowns.

"You have a girlfriend?"

"Aye, her name is Allegra."

"Eww, that name sounds horrible. What's she like?"

"She's pretty and sweet, head strong, ambitious. I like her a lot, it's gonna be hard not seeing her all the time while we're here." Lottie looks unsure at his answer.

"Mhmm...well you can still talk to her, right?"

"Hopefully we can catch each other at the right times. Chatham is several hours ahead, so it'll be tough to catch her at a decent time."

"I'm sure Jace could work that in for you. She's gonna be a great boss, she's been almost running this place since she turned 18. The only thing she hasn't had much training on is the administration parts." She hooks an arm through Henrik's. "You need to come meet, Rahim. He's our sports guy. He's usually working out in his cabin or at the golfing field in his free time. We'll catch you later, Bobs. Take care of Hazel." He waves at them.

"See you two later. I'll guard her with my life." He follows Hazel all over the place, stopping by the lake. She runs up to him with a stick and drops it at his feet. He smiles and picks it up, tossing it a few times. He makes his way over to the deck on the lake, watching the water dance around. He turns to see Hazel running towards him, gaining speed with every leap before running into him and knocking him into the water. He breaks the surface, looking around frantically. She paddles to him, climbing on him. He laughs and lets her climb onto him. "Hazel! You knocked us into the water!" She licks his face again, making him laugh. 

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay???" He looks up and sees Jacinda standing on the deck, worry etched in her features. He smiles at her.

"She's okay, lass. She knocked me when she ran up to me." She smiles and shakes her head. 

"Well, let me help you out." He sees the exhaustion across her face, the light in her eyes dimmer than before.

"You could join us instead. You look like you need a break." She shakes her head.

"I'm good. But you two need to dry off. Here." She gets on her hands and knees, holding out her hand. He swims over to her and takes her hand, quickly pulling her in. She screams just before she hits the water, bursting through the surface a minute later. Her hair sticking to her face, water dripping off her nose, droplets sparkling off her eyelashes. She looks at him shocked, making him laugh again. "I can't believe you did that!" He shrugs.

"You need to take a break from being an adult for a bit. You gotta relax and have fun every now and then or you get burnt out." She smiles and rolls her eyes.

"I'm so getting you back for that." 

"Like to see you try." She splashes him quickly, taking him by surprise. "I don't think you wanna play this game, lass." She sticks her tongue out. He splashes her again just before she climbs onto his back. Hazel swims circles around them, barking. After a few minutes of wrestling and splashing they pause to catch their breathes. She realizes how close their faces are. The sunset illuminates his honey colored eyes, making it harder to catch her breath. His freckles popping against his glowing skin. He looks into her eyes, water droplets on her face sparkling in the sunlight like diamonds. He notices the gold flakes in her eyes, the freckles on her face. "Wow." 

"What?" He blushes.

"I didn't realize I said that out loud..." She smiles, making his heart thump.

"So what were you thinking about then?" He clears his throat.

"I thought you were gorgeous earlier...but I thought maybe you wore makeup to, what is it, enhance your looks. But nothing is coming off with the water."

"And?"

"Either it's really good waterproof makeup or you're just that gorgeous naturally...if possible you're even more gorgeous." She blushes, making him smile.

"I don't like wearing much makeup. I only do it on special occasions." 

"Don't even do it then." She bites her lip, both of their cheeks turning red. Hazel accidently bumps into Jace as she swims by, pushing her closer to Bobby. Her hand rests on his shoulder, his arms around her waist. He fights the urge to lean in and kiss her. _**She's with Noah and I'm with Allegra...and she's my boss.**_ He regrettably moves away slowly. "We should, uh, get out now. You look more relaxed." She nods and clears her throat.

"Yes, we should. I do feel better after that...thank you." He smiles.

"Any time." They climb out, helping each other get up with Hazel following them close behind. 

"Today I learned Hazel likes swimming."

"She didn't at first but she got used to it when you came around." She giggles.

"I didn't think she'd like it at all." She sighs and takes a step away. "I better get us cleaned up and finish getting ready for tomorrow."

"Yeah, me too. I'll see you tomorrow, Jace."

"Bye Bobby." She turns and walks off with Hazel on her heels. Gary clears his throat, making Bobby look away from her.

"When the fuck did you get there??" Gary smiles.

"I saw the whole thing if that's what you're asking." 

"Total creeper, mate."

"I just wanted to see what would happen." Bobby stares at him a moment.

"And?" Gary raises his eyebrows at him.

"And if you hadn't moved away she definitely would've snogged you. I don't know what you said but...she had a look on her face I hadn't seen before." Bobby bites his lip and looks down.

"I told her that I thought she looked gorgeous before but now that I knew it was all natural she was even more gorgeous." He sighs and rubs his neck. "I shouldn't have said that, I need to stay away from her. Allegra would kill me if she saw that."

"But she's back in Chatham....as far as you know."

"Aye, but I trust her and she trust me. I can't betray her like that, she's my girlfriend and I need to respect our relationship."

"Come on, Bobby. You and Jace have chemistry. Seeing you two together just looks good, imagine how it'll be once you really get to know each other. I know you both better than anyone else...I know you two would be perfect together." He shakes his head.

"Sorry, pal. I need to stay away from her. I'm not the type to graft while I'm in a relationship...or if they're in a relationship. I don't think Noah would've appreciated that either. We need to respect our own relationships." Gary looks at him sadly.

"Bobby...don't graft just don't avoid her. It'll hurt her feelings, just be here mate."

"Dinnae ken, trying to be a mate to someone that you..." He pauses not wanting to say what he was thinking out loud. "It never works out. Someone always gets burned and I don't want that for either of us. Plus, I'm only here for the summer. I go home with you come August." Gary shrugs.

"I mean yeah, but you will both be with the same group so you need to see her anyway. Just don't avoid her completely." Gary walks off towards the cabins, leaving Bobby alone with his thoughts. He looks at the lake, smiling to himself. _**Fuck this was a bad idea. I should've said no.**_


	2. June 1, 2020

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the read! I've been working very hard on these first few chapters, so please give a kudos or comment and let me know what you think! Thanks, babes. ❤❤

All the counselors are all over the place, helping all the campers find their cabins and bags, getting all the instructions they need. Bobby was helping Arjun in the kitchen while Jace was greeting all the families and campers. Lottie approaches Jacinda by the drop off area.

"Hey, girl. Big turnout this year. I always forget how crazy day one gets until it's day one." Jacinda smiles at her.

"Same here, it feels different this year though. I mean I'm now the one in charge. What if I mess everything up? What if I can't do this? It's all on me so whatever mistakes happen I have to take the fall. It's all on me." Lottie puts her hands on Jacinda's shoulder.

"Jace, breath. You're gonna be great. You've practically been in charge the last 6 years it's just an official title now. You can do this and you have us to back you up. We've got you." She takes a deep breath.

"You're right, I can do this. I've got this." 

"Jacinda!" She sees a red haired girl running towards her.

"Izzie!!!" The girl slams into her, hugging her tightly. "I was hoping I'd get to see you this summer! Where's your nana??"

"She'll be here in a minute. I told her I was looking for you." A minute later a older woman with fading red hair and bright green eyes walks over to them.

"You found her, Iz! Hello, Jacinda. It's so nice to see you again." She gives Jacinda a hug.

"Hey, Carol. How has it been? Are y'all doing alright?"

"We're doing better this year. Hi Lottie! You look lovely as ever dear." Lottie smiles and hugs her.

"Hi, Ms. Carol! Thanks, hun. You look better every time I see you." Carol pats her hand.

"You flatter me, dear." Lottie leans down to Izzie.

"Hey there, Spitfire!" Izzie smiles and hugs her.

"Lottie!!" Lottie laughs and hugs her back. She sees that Jacinda and Carol took a few steps away to talk quieter. She takes Izzie's hand. "Let's go find everyone else. We'll come back to say goodbye to Nana in a few minutes, deal?"

"Deal." She walks with her hand in hand, leaving Jacinda behind. They hunted down Chelsea and, to Lottie's dismay, Gary. After greeting a few other campers they made their way back towards Jacinda in silence for a few minutes. "My parents are in rehab. They've been there a month already."

"Well, that's good, right? Rehab is the first step in the right direction."

"Yeah, but I don't think it'll work."

"How come?"

"Because I just have a feeling. I don't believe them when they say they're gonna get sober. It just feels like they don't mean it." Lottie sighs.

"Then you might be right. I hope you're not, but your gut never lies to you. Always trust your instincts."

"I know. I hope I'm wrong too. But I can't tell Nana this, she tries to believe them and encourages me to believe them. I don't want to upset her so I let her think I believe them..."

"You can tell her the truth. Yeah she wants it to be true but she'll understand. She's an amazing woman, she knows how hard this is on you. She just wants to support you."

"That's true." They make it back just as Carol and Jace were hugging goodbye. Carol smiles at Lottie and Izzie.

"There y'all are!" She turns to Izzie. "Well, I have to go, kiddo. Have fun this summer. Don't forget to write me and call me, okay? Take lots of pictures for me." She kisses her cheek and hugs her.

"I will, Nana. I promise."

"I love you."

"I love you too." And with that she turns, waving goodbye one final time before disappearing in the crowd. Lottie got a bad feeling in her stomach. Izzie must've too because she took Lottie's hand again, giving it a squeeze. 

********

Everyone gathers around the giant bonfire for their annual welcome campfire. Bobby helps pass out drinks and snacks while everyone finds seats. He leans towards Gary.

"How many kids are there??" Gary thinks a moment.

"Well, Jace said we had a full roster and we can easily take in 80 kids so my guess is 80. That's why we have so many counselors and offer so many different activities, to split it up for easier management."

"Holy sh-crap. That's a lot of kids. Are there enough counselors?" 

"We should. We have 1 counselor for every 10 kids and have 8 counselors. And the instructors help out during group activities when we aren't having classes. We have three lifeguards on duty during operation hours, we have two nurses, we should be good." Bobby whistles.

"That's a lot of food and a lot of dishes." Once everyone settles down into a spot he sits by Gary as Jace stands up. 

"Hello, campers! Whos excited to be back!?" All the campers clap and cheer. Once they settle down Jace smiles broadly at them. "Alright! Now I know some of you have been asking about Joe and Sandy. They aren't going to be here this summer, but they send all their love to y'all and expect me to send them lots of pictures. They'll try to make a few appearances but they don't know exactly when. As far as activities we have the same activities as last year and we're extending your free time a bit. Tomorrow morning we will be serving breakfast at 8:30 sharp, don't be late! Your counselors will tell you your schedules for each of your cabins. Remember the number one rule. Have fun! And the number two rule. Be respectful! Follow those rules and we will have an awesome summer. So let's kick this off right! Chef Bobby, did you bring the stuff I asked for?" She smiles at him, making him nervous. He beams back at her.

"Aye, I did. I need some help handing it out though." She claps excitedly.

"Yay! I'll help." She follows him inside to grab the boxes. She peeks inside and squeals. "Aww! You made little kits!!! That's so cute!!!!" He laughs.

"I thought it would be easier than passing out everything separately. Plus, it is cute and I like being extra." She laughs.

"Not surprised." They start handing the smores kits out to all the campers, a lot of them asking him about his Scottish accent. He looks over at Jace staring at him intently. He wiggles his eyebrows before some of the kids get her attention. He watches her talking to them, giving each of them her undivided attention. A nudge on his shoulder made him look away. Gary raises his eyebrows.

"Noah's watching you two by the way. He saw the way she looked at you."

"How did she look at me?" He shakes his head. "Nope, never mind. I don't want to know, nothing is going on there."

"Riiiight." He rolls his eyes and hands Gary a smores kit. "Dude, I think I love you. Smores are fucking amazing."

"Gary, language. We have little ears around." He smiles at him.

"Shut up, mate."

********

Bobby goes around picking up left over trash, his mind going over the night again and again. Someone clears their throat behind him, causing him to jump. He turns and smiles at her.

"You scared me, lass."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. I wanted to check with you on how your first day went. It's kind of my job to make sure my employees are happy." 

"Yeah, it was, uh, it was good."

"Did you manage to find time to talk to your girlfriend? Lottie mentioned you were worried about not being able to talk to her." 

"I didn't actually. It would seem that my phone was in my pocket when Hazel pushed me into the lake. And I don't remember her number." She gasped.

"No way. I'm so sorry! I didn't know you had your phone on you!" He laughs.

"Neither did I. But it's okay."

"I'll replace it, I swear. I'm so sorry."

"No, don't worry about it. I'll figure it out one way or another." For a minute they just stand there, looking at each other. "Well, I'm going to finish cleaning up and then head off to bed. I've got a busy day tomorrow." She nods.

"Yeah, of course. Um, I'll see you tomorrow. Let me know if you have any concerns or anything."

"Doubt I will but I promise if I do, I'll find you." 

"Okay. Well, I'll leave you to it then. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." 

********

Bobby walks into his cabin after breakfast to find a box on his bed with a bow on it. A note sat next to it.

_I told you I'd replace it. Just keep this one away from the lake and probably Hazel. -Jace_

He smiles and shakes his head as he opens it, finding a brand new phone.

"How did she even afford this?" He turns it on and gets it all set up before changing. He sits down on the bed and calls Allegra.

"Bobby, why haven't you been answering???"

"I'm sorry, babe. I fell in the lake and my phone died. But I got a new one." She sighs.

"That's such a lame excuse."

"It's not an excuse, it's the truth. Ask Gary."

"Like I would talk to him. I guess I'll forgive you but don't do it again."

"I promise. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."

"It's okay. Anyway, how's it going there?"

"Good. Yesterday was the first official day and last night was the welcome campfire. Jacinda asked for smores for the campers to do."

"That's so cheap and easy though. I know you can do better than that."

"It wasn't really about my skills. It was about the experience for the kids. Their biggest focus is on the kids enjoying themselves, not impressing everyone with my dessert skills."

"Whatever."

"Right, well I have to go."

"Okay, call me later if you get the chance."

"I will, babe."

"Okay, bye. I miss you."

"I miss you too." He hangs up and looks at his phone, smiling. He finds Jacinda in her office. "Why are you in here and not out there?" She looks up.

"I've got to get some of this paper work done."

"Right now?"

"Well I don't want to get behind."

"Is it time sensitive?"

"Well, no. But it does need done." He shakes his head.

"Get up."

"Why?"

"We're going outside. You're not gonna be stuck behind the desk all day."

"Bobby..."

"Nope, come on. Don't make me get Hazel in this." She smiles.

"I have to be responsible."

"You are responsible but you also need to enjoy yourself. So get up. I'll make Gary come carry you out." She laughs.

"Okay, okay. I'm coming." She gets up and follows him out. He nudges her.

"Thanks for the phone by the way. I told you not to worry about it though."

"You're welcome and it was my job to replace it. My dog is the reason you didn't have one in the first place."

"True but I should've expected her to be clumsy like you." 

"I am not clumsy."

"Right so you fell over the grass last night because it's a hobby of yours." She laughs.

"No, because I was focused on the kids."

"They seem to really like you."

"I've met most of them at least once. Which reminds me, there's someone I want you to meet." She guides him to a group of campers playing archery. Noah is helping one of the campers with short brown curly hair. "Noah! Robbie! Come here!" Noah looks up, smiling at her. He guides the boy with curly hair over to them. 

"Hey, Jace. What's up?" 

"Hi, Ms. Jace." 

"You can call me Jace, hun. Robbie this is Bobby, Bobby this is Robbie. I think the two of you would really have a lot in common." Bobby smiles at Robbie.

"Nice to meet you, mate." Robbie smiles at him.

"You talk funny." Bobby chuckles. 

"I'm from Scotland. We all talk funny there, you should hear how my granny talks. She says all kinds of funny things." 

"Why don't you two try spending some time together during free time. He can help you out in the kitchen if you both would like that." Bobby kneels down.

"What do you say, bruv? Wanna help me go get some dessert ready? Afterwards we can do whatever you want." Bobby looks at Jacinda. "And I want you to try and stay out of that office a while. Get some fresh air, see people." She rolls her eyes.

"I was just going to go find Izzie, one of the campers." Robbie thinks a minute before looking at Noah. 

"Is that okay?"

"Absolutely. If Jace trusts Bobby then so do I. Just check in with me later so I know where you are, okay?" Robbie smiles and nods.

"I promise. Thanks Noah. Lead the way Scottish man." Bobby laughs and leads him to the kitchens. Noah looks at Jace with curiosity. 

"I'm guessing there is a specific reason you paired those two together." She smiles and looks back at them walking together, Robbie laughing about something. 

"Yup." She sighs. "I have a feeling they're who they each need right now. Bobby hasn't told me much but from what Gary has told me Bobby has some stuff he needs to work through. And Robbie needs someone to look up to who isn't months away from leaving. I think they might just be able to save each other." Noah smiles at her, squeezing her hand.

"You're absolutely incredible, you know that?" She shrugs.

"Yeah, I knew that." He gently nudges her.

"Alright, big head." She laughs and pushes him back towards the kids.

"Get back to work, Noah. I'll see y'all later."

********

"We're gonna make cupcakes for dessert tonight. Something simple but everyone loves. What's your favorite flavor?" Robbie thinks a minute.

"Chocolate."

"Perfect. Mine too. But we'll make yellow too."

"Isn't yellow vanilla?"

"No. Vanilla has a very distinct flavor. Yellow isn't quite as potent of flavor, think of it as a more generic flavor. It's more buttery than vanilla. But before we start we put on our aprons and wash our hands." As they get started getting the ingredients out Robbie looks at him. 

"How long have you been baking?"

"Since I was about 10, so 14 years."

"Weren't you worried about getting picked on?"

"At first. I kept it hidden for a while until one of my mates, Miles, came in and saw me baking."

"What did he say?"

"He asked what I was making. I told him cupcakes and he sat down and told me he couldn't wait to try them."

"He sounds like a good friend."

"He was. He was my best mate for most of my life."

"Was? Did he die?" Bobby sighs.

"No. We...don't get along now. We...grew apart."

"How come?"

"Um...we just disagree on things now. We mostly argue when we talk so we stopped talking. Sometimes you have to let people go so you can move forward." He thinks a long moment. 

"When did you stop hiding baking?"

"Dinnae ken. One day Miles brought it up and when the other lads laughed about it Miles told them to shut up and started talking about how good my stuff was. Then they all came over and tried some of my brownies. After that none of my mates picked on me, they even stood up for me when other kids found out."

"I wish I had friends like that." He looks at him confused.

"Do they pick on your friends too?"

"I don't really have friends." 

"Why do you think that is?" 

"Their parents know what my family is like and they don't want their kids to be around it. And they all make fun of me because I have trouble reading." 

"I had that problem too. My parents didn't take the time to teach me to read or write so I got behind in school."

"My parents didn't teach me either. They keep disappearing for months. My grandma tries but she has to work 2 jobs to take care of me and her so she doesn't get much time for anything else."

"Well we've measured everything out and got all our tools we'll need. Come here and we'll start mixing everything." As he shows him how to make the cupcakes he clears his throat. "You know growing up, it took a while for me to make friends. Miles was my first mate. We became friends when we ran into each other at the skate park. Literally ran into each other." Robbie smiles.

"Wait, you actually ran into each other."

"Yup. We were okay though. What do you like to do?"

"I don't know. I haven't tried much stuff. I'm not sure what I'd be good at."

"Well I know one thing you seem to be good at. Baking. You're doing pretty good so far." After they get the cupcakes in the oven they clean up the dishes. Once they finish cleaning everything the timer beeps for the cupcakes. "While these cool off why don't we find Noah and then go see about trying out some stuff."

"Okay. Are you and Noah friends?"

"I don't really know him but he seems really nice." 

"I like him. He works in a library he said." 

"Maybe he can help you with your reading. You should ask him."

"What if he makes fun of me?"

"I don't know him but I do know he won't make fun of you. What if we ask him to help us both, I still have trouble reading too."

"You do?"

"Yup. But we can wait to ask him if you aren't ready. We'll try other stuff. What do you want to try first?" He thinks a long time as they walk.

"I'm not sure to be honest."

"Let's go see what we can think of." After trying out golfing, dance and archery again they head back to the cupcakes. Half way through putting frosting on Jace walks in.

"Oooh, those look delicious. You boys know how to make a girl hungry." Bobby blushes and tries to keep focusing on the cupcakes. "So what did you two do today?" Bobby smiles at Robbie. 

"Robbie discovered he likes dance. Why don't you talk to her about it while I finish these up real quick?" Robbie smiles and begins telling her about the dance moves Lottie taught him.

"Bobby was not good though, he kept tripping." Bobby chuckles and looks over at them.

"I'm a rubbish dancer, I found that out a long time ago. But it was fun anyway." Robbie helps Bobby put the stuff away as he keeps telling Jace about their day. "Alright, Rob. It's time to go get ready for dinner. Take a shower and all that."

"Will I see you at dinner?"

"Of course. And if Jace is okay with it you can help me hand out cupcakes." Jacinda nods.

"I think we can arrange that." Robbie hugs them both before running off. Jacinda turns to Bobby and raises her eyebrows.

"What?"

"I have never seen Robbie so happy. He's been quite and reserved the whole time I've known him." Bobby shrugs.

"He just needed a friend. You know he doesn't have friends at home?"

"I had a feeling. He doesn't talk to the other campers much."

"He gets picked on a lot at school. He has trouble reading. I suggested he ask Noah for help, do you think he'd be willing to do that?"

"Absolutely, he'd love to. I can talk to him about it and see if he'll come up with a way to get Robbie interested."

"Great. He says he likes Noah so it shouldn't be too hard. He just needs a bit of encouragement."

"Noah is perfect for the job." He crosses his arms as he leans against the counter. "So sometimes with certain campers we feel need a bit of extra attention they will adopt another employee or older camper as their camp buddy. Sort of like a mentor or something. I was wondering if you would be interested in being Robbie's."

"Of course, I'd love to."

"Amazing. It just means you get to spend a lot of time with him during free time and during group activities. You're just good friends at that point."

"I can do that. He seems cool, I wouldn't mind hanging out with him everyday."

"Perfect. Well I need to go make sure everything is ready for dinner. I'll see you soon." He nods and turns back to the kitchen to finish tidying up. "Hey, Bobby." He turns and looks at her. "Thanks for being his friend...and mine." She smiles at him before leaving. He looks at the door a minute, his hand on his hip. **_A friend...right...why does that make me feel so disappointed?_**


	3. June 8, 2020

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was a bit difficult to get into words. I knew what I wanted to say but actually putting it into words was tough. Kudos and comment to let me know what you think! xoxo

Bobby walks beside Gary and Chelsea by the lake.

"So where are we going?" Chelsea claps excitedly.

"We're going to Jace's!!! I love going to her house, it's always so much fun. It's just on the other side of the lake. She lives close by because of the camp. It's such a beautiful home too, she's gonna let me decorate it." Gary smiles at her.

"Slow down, Chels. We always have our off nights at Jacinda's because it's so close." Bobby looks at him nervously.

"Wait like her actual flat? We're going to be in her house?"

"Yup."

"Who all is gonna be there?"

"Henrik, Rahim, me, you, Chelsea, Lottie, Kassam, Arjun, and Jace."

"Noah isn't coming?"

"No, he's a counselor so he has to stay back in the cabin with his group of campers. They'll get a night off in a few days when we take over for a night so they can have their night off. We switch of a few times during the summer so everyone gets a chance to get time off." He felt weirdly excited Noah won't be there, but guilty he was excited to spend time with Jace without little ears around. He'd never hung out with her without a bunch of kids running around them. He hasn't really hung out with her at all except during group activities. He talks to her in passing, finding himself looking for her everywhere he went. They walk up to a massive two story Victorian style, bright, white house. It had a huge front porch that went to the left side of the house. Light filtered through dozens of massive windows. 

"What the fuck." It was in perfect condition with a gorgeous flower garden in front of the porch, a huge outside furniture set on the porch with two swinging benches. Inside it smelled like cinnamon, warmth melted away the chill from the walk over. A huge elegant staircase was the first thing you see. In the entry way sat a smooth oak table with a crystal bowl on it where keys were. Gary led him to the kitchen. It looked like a professional chef's dream. a huge island sat in the middle with five bar stools in front of the attached breakfast bar. Stainless steal appliances, a five burner gas stove, double ovens placed beside it in the cabinets, a huge window over the sink, black marble counter tops and crisp white cabinets. The cabinets all had glass doors, showing a perfectly tidy dish sets in every color. A high end Keurig sat in the corner with a porcelain tea pot. Mix matched mugs hung from the bottom of the cabinets nearby, the French door fridge had drawings from campers all over it. 

"I had a feeling this would be the room you liked." He turns to see Jace standing there, smiling with Hazel by her side. She wore soft gray shorts with a matching long sleeved sweatshirt that hung off her shoulder. She was barefoot with bright red toenails.

"I mean, I do spend most of my time in a kitchen. Even back at home." She walks to the counter where he notices a collection of alcohol. 

"I've got your gin, Chels. Care for a glass?"

"Uh, duh! You know I'm so down."

"What about you, Bobby? I have scotch, whiskey, rum, tequila, vodka, gin. I also have wine and beer in the fridge. Yes, I have your favorite too, Gare Bear." Gary smiles and walks up to the fridge.

"Uh, whatever is fine with me. Surprise me." She beams at him.

"I love to hear that. Time to put my retired bartender skills to the test." She mixes a few drinks together, handing him and Chelsea their drinks. "The others are outback already. Henrik started a fire in the firepit." They walk through the living room. Two huge, fluffy gray couches sat on opposite side of the room, a third matching couch in between them against the wall by the staircase. A massive oak coffee table sits in the middle, a huge TV mounted on the wall above a oak cabinet holding hundreds of DVD's. Side tables sat on either side of every couch, simple faux crystal lamps on every side table. Book cases full of books sat on either side of the TV. They walked past what looked like an office on the left and a small restroom to their right. Once outback he sees a stone path leading from the stairs of the huge wooden deck to a big concrete circle with a built in fire pit in the middle. Benches and chairs with big green cushions sat in a circle around them, scattered foot stools with fluffy green pillows on top. Everyone turns and greets them. He strides over and strikes a pose.

"It's alright everyone, the fun as arrived. You can all breathe a sigh of relief from your boring lives." He wiggles his eyebrows, making everyone laugh. He looks around. "Where's Kassam?" Lottie looks at her phone.

"He'll be here soon. He just texted me." They all choose their places around the fire. "So, new boys. How are y'all liking the camp experience so far?" Henrik smiles.

"It's amazing. I love it, I'm having so much fun."

"Me too, mate. It's so amazing, I love seeing all the kids, especially Robbie, and getting to know you lot."

"Right! If I can I definitely want to come back next year."

"Me too." Jacinda beams at them, her radiant smile quickening Bobby's pulse.

"I think I can arrange that for y'all two. I am the boss you know." Arjun rolls his eyes.

"We know. We hardly see you anymore because of it. This is the first time all week we've been able to actually talk to you. Even during meal time you're shut away in your office scarfing down a sandwich in between pages of whatever it is you're doing."

"It was payroll yesterday so I'd stop complaining. Besides, it's hard to find time for anything anymore. I don't know how my parents did it and still managed to be so involved with everyone." Rahim sits back, taking a sip of his scotch.

"Well, there was two of them so I'm sure they split the work and got it done faster. You're not married so it's all on you." She glares at him.

"Thank you so much, Rahim. I had almost forgotten what my love life was like." His cheeks turn a dark shade of pink.

"My bad." She smiles at him, shaking her head gently.

"It's okay, I forgive you. I mean, I'm not sure about marriage but things are going good with Noah. It almost doesn't feel real we've been doing so good. Still too early for all that serious talk though." Lottie raises her eyebrows.

"I mean we aren't saying propose to him tomorrow but you still haven't used the L word."

"I'm just not ready to."

"You won't talk about your future together at all, you won't say 'I love you' back, you won't let either of you stay the night at each other's houses. It just still seems like you've only been dating like a month instead of four. Don't elope with him or anything but sooner or later he's gonna want a serious relationship. Wait too long and he'll walk. At the very least talk to him about it. Telling him you aren't ready is hardly explaining anything to him." Jacinda sighs and stands up.

"I'm going to the restroom, feel free to think of other things to talk about while I'm gone. Leave my relationship to me." She walks inside without another word. Hazel jumps up next to Bobby and lays her head in his lap. Gary frowns and looks at Chelsea.

"What's going on with her? She keeps saying Noah is a great guy but won't even let him stay the night?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. It doesn't make sense to me. He's as perfect as they come." Arjun bites his lip.

"If she doesn't want him, I'll take him." Lottie smirks at him.

"Playing the field, Arjun?"

"I might be. Just got out of a three year relationship. It's time to whore around." Henrik smiles at him.

"I might know a few people when we get out of here. Or rather my girlfriend does." Chelsea leans forward.

"Oooh, let's hear about this girlfriend. What's her name? How long have you two been together?" He chuckles.

"Her name is Blake, we've been together about a year. She's a real socialite type woman. She's gorgeous and funny, smart, sweet. I adore her." 

"Awww, that's so cute! I wish I could find someone decent to date. I swear I'm cursed." Gary sighs and stretches.

"Same here. I kind of want to find someone to really get to know. Maybe build something together. I'm not exactly ready to settle down and start a family yet, but I do want to have something more serious than a one night stand. Then again I don't want to settle like someone else I know." He looks at Bobby who is scratching Hazel's ear.

"I did not settle. I really do like her."

"You've been with her off and on for a year and you still haven't said 'I love you'...and honestly, she's terrible."

"She is not! She just feels like she needs to act all stubborn and rude so she won't get hurt. She doesn't trust many people."

"She barely trust you and you're her boyfriend. She's constantly accusing you of cheating on her. How many times has she made that accusation while we've been here?"

"We've only been here a week."

"Exactly, I bet she's said it at least once everyday."

"Okay, moving on. What do you lot do during the year?" Chelsea holds up her hand.

"Ooh! Ooh! I'm an interior designer." Lottie raises her hand.

"Makeup artist." Arjun shrugs.

"Dog walker." Henrik smiles.

"Wilderness instructor." Rahim sits forward.

"Professional golfer." He nods slowly.

"Interesting. Wouldn't have guessed any of that....except the makeup artist thing." Lottie smirks at him.

"Gotta show off my skills somehow."

"I mean, you've got a point." Jacinda walks out followed by Kassam. He walks over and waves at everyone before sitting next to Lottie with his arm around her, making her blush. 

"Hey, guys. What are we talking about?"

"I was just asking everyone what they do the rest of the year."

"I'm a DJ."

"I could definitely see that." Jacinda looks at Hazel and Bobby together and smiles.

"I see my spot got stolen." Bobby shrugs.

"I think I'd prefer her." She scoffs and gently swats him.

"That's rude! I'm much better company than her! I've never knocked you into the lake." He laughs.

"That actually turned out to be really fun though! You even said you had fun."

"Mhmm. Move, Hazel." Hazel jumps down, leaving her space open so she can sit by Bobby again. Jacinda listens to the others talking about their jobs, sighing. "Not that this isn't riveting but let's do something fun! Let loose and have some laughs." Bobby smiles at her.

"What did you have in mind?" She bites her lip.

"Never Have I Ever." Rahim and Kassam groan.

"Not that one, I hate being put on the spot." Lottie nudges Kassam gently.

"Come on, babe. No one is putting you on the spot. All you have to do is take a drink if you've done it. That's it." He sighs.

"Fine. Who's going first?" Jace raises her hand.

"Call it! My idea, my turn." She sits up straighter and looks around at everyone as she thinks. "Never have I ever...gotten a tattoo." Lottie, Kassam, Gary and Bobby all take a drink. Jacinda frowns at Bobby. "Where? You can see all theirs but we have yet to see one on you."

"On my back and chest."

"Is it lame? Is that why you haven't let any of us see it?" He rolls his eyes.

"No, it's not lame. I just haven't had a reason to take my shirt off." Gary nods.

"I've seen them, they're pretty fucking cool." Lottie squints her eyes.

"I don't believe you....let's see it." He sighs and stands up, turning around before he takes his shirt off. Covering his whole back was a massive black and white tattoo of a golden eagle sitting on top of a cross. It's wings were open wide like it was about to take off, spanning the length to his shoulder blades. At the bottom of the cross was two angels, a man and a woman. They both sat with their feet tucked under them and their heads bowed, their wings open slightly. "Goddamn, Bobby! That looks hot." He's thankful they can't see him blushing. Chelsea bites her lip, staring at him.

"That is very sexy. How long did it take?"

"About a year to get it all done. I think he said the final time on it was like 35 hours, which apparently is normal for back pieces." He hears Rahim whistle.

"Man, that's a lot of dedication." He hears Gary's voice.

"I told you lot it was cool." Kassam talks from his other side.

"I'm sorry Lottie didn't believe you. Ow! What? You actually said that." Arjun takes a deep breath.

"My god, Bobby. Put your shirt on. Me and Jace are gonna have a heat stroke." He turns around, giving him a curious look. He looks over and sees Jacinda with her mouth hanging open. She's now staring at his chest tattoo. He had two big claw mark tattoos with a wolf in the middle, snarling. The marks on the right side had the Jamaican flag inside and the left had the Scottish flag inside. The wolf was half black with red eyes and half white with blue eyes. Her eyes trailed over his toned muscles.

"Oh my damn." Chelsea unashamedly checked him out.

"Who knew what you were hiding under your shirt. You look so skinny, I had no idea there were muscles under there. And another massive tattoo. What other kind of surprises are you hiding?" He blushes and scratches the back of his head.

"Uh, none. And I wasn't hiding this I just didn't have a reason to show you or talk about it. I'm not the type of bloke to brag that I go to the gym and have tattoos, those lads are cringeworthy. I'm lean not bulky." Lottie smiles at him.

"My, my. I think I found my new favorite pass time." He looks at Jace again who still hasn't said anything, her mouth still hanging open. "Jacinda, hun, close your mouth. Might wanna wipe that drool off your chin too." Bobby puts his shirt back on, snapping her out of her trance. Her face turns beet red. She shakes her head and clears her throat.

"So who's next?" Bobby sits down back in his spot next to Jacinda, making him aware just how close they were. Chelsea smiles.

"Never have I ever been so attracted to Bobby." He covers his face, blushing.

"I should've lied. Don't make that a real thing." 

"Too late, already done. Wanna know who did it?"

"Nope, I have a girlfriend. Let's move on." Lottie rolls her eyes.

"Okay. Never have I ever taken a body shot off another person." Kassam raises his eyebrows.

"How did you even come up with that?" She smiles and shrugs.

"Don't know but I do know you have, so drink." Bobby, Gary, Rahim, Kassam, Arjun and Jace take a drink. "Story time, Jace." She shrugs and smiles.

"Let's just say ya girl did a lot of crazy things in college. She's got a secret wild side." She winks at her, clicking her tongue. She notices Bobby looking at her. "I'm gonna need you to stop doing that. Those looks can be very dangerous." He raises his hands and looks at Gary. Gary leans back.

"Never have I ever gone skinny dipping." All the girls take a drink. Jacinda looks around at the boys.

"I know what y'all are thinking and yes, we were together when we went." Bobby runs a hand through his hair.

"Damn. Finding out all kinds of things about you, lass." His phone rings. "It's Allegra, I'll be right back." He answers as he gets up and walks a few feet away. "Hey, babe." Jacinda looks at him until Gary sits next to her and nudges her. Everyone else starts their own conversations as they wait for him to get off the phone.

"So you like tattoos, huh?" She blushes. 

"I was admiring the artistry. I am an artist. The details are incredible and the shading is perfect." He looked at her a minute.

"Somehow I think you were admiring more than just the art. Did I forget to mention he goes to the gym with me? You'd be surprised what he can lift. I'd bet money he could lift you." She looks at him suspiciously. 

"I don't think he'd be able to lift 180 pounds."

"What's that converted to kilograms?" She thinks a minute.

"81.6 I think." 

"He can definitely lift that." She shakes her head.

"Doesn't matter. I have a boyfriend and he has a girlfriend. We're happy in our relationships." He looks over at Bobby.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Bobby pinches the bridge of his nose. 

"You know it's not even like that.....I have you......Allegra! Stop. If you're gonna call me to accuse me of cheating then don't call me anymore. Wait until you're done throwing a fit." He hangs up and rubs his face. Jacinda looks at Gary.

"She sounds lovely. I wonder why you don't like her." Gary smiles at her.

"I think if he met someone who was actually a good person then maybe he would actually break up with her." He gives her a knowing look and gets up, going back to his seat. Bobby sits down and picks up his drink. 

"Right, who's going next?" Arjun looks at Ibrahim. 

"I vote Rahim." Rahim smiles.

"Alright. Never have I ever had sex in a public place." Everyone takes a drink.

********

After a few more rounds the game dies down, sending everyone back to their private discussions. Jacinda turns to Bobby, Hazel laying by their feet.

"So, your tattoos. Explain." He smiles at her.

"The one on my chest is cause my mum was Scottish and my dad was Jamaican. The wolf is cause my dad was black and my mum was white, and it's snarling cause they were kind of toxic together. Wolves is kind of a family thing. Most of my family's favorite animal is wolves, including me. The one on my back....gets a little more personal. I'm not quite ready to share that one yet. The only ones who know are the artist and Miles."

"Your ex mate?"

"Aye. He was there when I got it. Well for all the sessions."

"He seemed like a really good friend."

"He was. He always stood up for me as kids. He was there when I found out my mum died, he was there when everyone found out I liked to bake, he was there when I dealt with my dad, he was there when I almost went over to edge. He was like a brother to me."

"So what, you two just couldn't stop fighting over a girl?" He shrugs.

"That's what it comes down to. At first it wasn't a big deal but then I guess he got upset so he started telling her all this personal stuff about me I wasn't ready to share with her yet. After that it just felt like I couldn't trust him anymore."

"That's horrible. Do you think you'd ever be his friend again?" 

"Maybe, dinnae ken."

"I think you should. Usually I would say no when they do something like that but...he was there through everything and he let a girl cloud his judgement...it's hard to find friends who would stand by you through all of that. Trust me, I've only had one friend like that and that's Gary. He's been my best friend since we were kids. I know I'd be crushed if I didn't talk to him anymore." He nods slowly.

"I mean yeah. But he won't have any interest in fixing our friendship if Allegra is still around. Rather we're together or not she'd still get between us."

"Can I ask you something then?"

"Sure."

"Do you think she's the one?" His eyes go wide, making her giggle. She tucks her feet under her and leans her arm against the back of the bench to face him better. "I'm serious. Do you love her? Is she the one you want to marry or build a life with or settle down with? Whatever you want in your future is she the one you want there?" He thinks a long time.

"I don't really think about stuff like that."

"Maybe because you think the answer could be no. And you don't want to admit you threw away a life long friendship over a girl who wasn't even worth it. If she's not who you think could be the one then you shouldn't choose her over him. You should choose your best friend. I think you should stop holding onto someone who isn't making you their world."

"But no one makes their partner their world. I've literally never seen it happen."

"I think when it's the right person they do. Finding the right person makes you want to do anything and everything just to see them smile, no matter what it is. Their happiness means more than anything."

"Then is Noah your world?"

"Well...he's a part of my world."

"But he's not your world. Pot, meet kettle." She laughs and gently pushes his shoulder.

"Shut up, doofus."

"Doofus? I'm a doofus now? That hurts, Jay. That really hurts."

"Jay, huh?"

"It felt right. I feel like you're more of a Jay to me....like a blue jay."

"A blue jay? Why a blue jay?"

"Dinnae ken, I was just trying to come up with something that sounded cool." She laughs again, making him smile.

"God you're such a dork."

"That's why everyone loves me. My dorkiness makes people laugh." 

"Is that how you get people to like you then? You make them laugh."

"And I do magic tricks."

"Mhmm, sure." 

"Are you doubting my skills as a magician??"

"Maybe I am."

"Well, I'll just have to show you then. I mean I don't have any of my stuff right now, it's in my cabin. But just you wait, I'm gonna show you how magical I can be." She smiles at him, resting her head on her hand. He looks into her eyes, something changes in them. He can't tell what but something is different. She studies his face, admiring every freckle. **_He's so handsome...what is it about him?_** The more she talked to him the more she wanted to know. She liked hearing his laugh, seeing his smile. He tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear without thinking, blushing. "Sorry...I didn't really think that through." She smiles at him, making his heart beat faster.

"It's okay." Eventually, the night ends. She walks them all to the door, until Bobby and Gary are the last. She hugs Gary goodbye, kissing his cheek. "Text me when you get to your cabin?"

"It's just around the lake!"

"But there could be water moccasins, or copperheads. Or a rattle snake."

"You have a lot of snakes around here."

"We really do. Texas has way too many snakes." Gary rolls his eyes and walks down the steps of the porch. She turns to Bobby, for a moment they don't say anything. 

"Well, thanks for having me over. I had fun. It's nice to see you having a bit of fun."

"Yeah, no problem."

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, yeah." He smiles and turns to leave. He makes it down one step before she stops him. "Bobby, wait." He turns and looks at her.

"Yeah?" She hesitates before walking over and hugging him. After a minute he hugs her back. She steps away and walks inside. He stands there a minute, trying to sort his thoughts. _**I'm so fucking confused.**_ He passes by Gary who had been watching them. "Don't say a word. Not happening."


	4. June 10, 2020

Bobby sits on the steps of Robbie's cabin with Robbie, Izzie and Jace. He shows them a couple magic tricks. Robbie smiles at him.

"Can you teach me??"

"Dinnae ken. It's supposed to be a secret." Izzie holds her hands together and leans against his leg.

"Pleeease. I promise we won't tell anyone!" 

"Alright, alright. Here, you gotta hide it right here in your hand and-"

"Jace!" They see Noah walking over to them. Jacinda smiles and stands, giving him a quick hug.

"Hey, hun. What're you up to?"

"Just came to see what you were doing. I expected to find you in your office." 

"These three convinced me to take a break." Bobby continues to teach the kids magic tricks while they were talking. 

"Noah!" They turn and see a woman walking over. She was tall and slender, her long braids had gold hoops carefully placed. She wore jean shorts with a purple tank top with a picture of America outlined with Texas being the only state outlined. The rest of the country was labeled 'Not Texas' and their state was labeled 'Texas'. Noah's face goes pale.

"Shit." Bobby looks between the mystery woman and Noah.

"Hey you two, I know for a fact that Lottie loves magic tricks. Why don't you go show her what you learned and I'll catch up with you in a bit?" Robbie and Izzie look between all of them before finally looking at Bobby. Bobby gives them a reassuring smile. Robbie nods and runs off, leading Izzie away just as the woman makes it to them. Jace looks at Bobby nervously before looking at Noah.

"Babe...who's this?" Hope smiles at them.

"Hi, I'm Hope. Noah's-"

"Friend. We met at the library I work at." 

"I think we're a bit more than friends, babe." Jacinda frowns. Hope looks at him confused. "I was thinking more official than that." Jacinda clasps her hands together, leaning her head against them.

"Noah...who is this?" 

"I'm his girlfriend. At least that's what he said yesterday." Noah looks at Jacinda quickly.

"Babe, she's not my girlfriend." Hope frowns and crosses her arms.

"Excuse me? You definitely called me your girlfriend and why are you calling her babe?" Noah ignores Hope. "Jace, babe. You know I love you. It's innocent I swear." She sniffles.

"Did you sleep together?" Noah looks down at the ground. She shakes her head, moving her hands back and forth. "Nu-uh. It's over."

"Jacinda-" She puts her hand up.

"Don't. You're welcome to stay as a counselor but as far as our relationship goes I'm your boss and nothing more. Do not approach me about anything except your campers." She stands up and walks away. Noah sighs and rubs his face. Bobby stands up and shakes his head before looking at Hope, her cheeks red with fury. He chases after Jacinda, catching up as she passes the mess hall. He doesn't say anything, he just walks beside her. She makes it to the deck of the lake and stands there, staring into the distance. For a long time she just stares, not moving, not talking. _**I'm so stupid, so fucking stupid. I should've seen this coming. It never felt right with him and now I know why. How long has he been doing this?**_ He looks over at her. Her vibrant eyes shimmering with tears, her long curly hair blowing gently in the breeze. A loose strand hangs in her face, flowing with the wind. Even with a deep frown etching her features she still looked gorgeous. _ **How could he do that to a woman as amazing as her? She's a million times prettier for one and she's just so incredible.**_ A tear escapes just before she looks up at him. "Do you think it's cause I wouldn't commit?" He shakes his head.

"It's not because you did anything wrong. It's because he's an idiot and one day he's gonna hate himself for hurting you. You're the kind of lass that's always gonna be the one that got away to every idiot who can't appreciate you the way you deserve." She sniffles and shakes her head.

"I knew he was hiding something, I fucking knew it. I should've broken up with him before it got this far. Or maybe I should've just committed. Maybe if I had given him what he wanted he wouldn't have had to look for it somewhere else, then I could've been enough...why is it I'm never enough?" She sits down, hugging her knees. She rests her head on her knees. He sits down beside her.

"Lass, look at me." She meets his eyes. "This isn't your fault, this was gonna happen no matter what you did or didn't do. You're so amazing in every possible way and he's a fucking idiot for not seeing that. He's the idiot that doesn't see how sweet and kind you are. You're funny, smart, resourceful, organized, caring, generous, talented and if none of that is enough you're absolutely gorgeous too. Any man would be lucky to call you their girlfriend. He's gonna hate himself for letting you go, I promise."

"You really think that?"

"Have since the moment I met you." She looks at him for a long moment, he tucks the loose strand of hair behind her ear, wiping away another stray tear gently with his thumb. "I've always seen how special you are." His phone rings, making them break their eye contact. He looks down at it.

"Go ahead and take it."

"I'll call her back later."

"Bobby, answer it." He looks at Jacinda.

"Don't go anywhere." He swipes the screen. "Hey, I'm a little busy right now.....No because it's the middle of the day...." She gives him a smile and turns to leave, he grabs her hand and gently pulls her back to him. "You what?" He's quiet for a long moment, still looking at Jacinda. Something flashes in his eyes. "Look, I gotta go. I'll call you later." She could tell something was bothering him.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing. I told you you not to go."

"I need to go do some work." He raises an eyebrow.

"You're going to go back to work? Right now?"

"The world doesn't stop because my boyfriend is a dickhead." He shakes his head and leads her away, still holding her hand.

"Nope, you're not spending the rest of the day suffering through paperwork."

"Where are we going?"

"Dinnae ken, where do you want to go? You've been here a thousand times, where's your favorite place to go?" She smiles.

"Follow me." She takes the lead, still holding his hand. They walk to her house, going past it into the trees behind it. After they pass through what seemed like a thousand trees they come into a clearing. Peach trees are everywhere.

"Where did you take us?"

"I guess I forgot to mention we own a peach orchard too. This is my happy place. You should see it in the spring when the flowers bloom, it's amazing." They walk underneath the shadows of the trees, he smiles watching her look around. 

"What are you looking for?"

"The perfect tree." She points to a tree. "That one. Come on." She runs over to the tree, putting her hair in a ponytail. She grabs a hold of a branch and starts climbing up. He laughs.

"Are you really climbing a tree right now?"

"Yup. Come on, I wanna show you something." He smiles and climbs up after her. She climbs as high as they branches will let her, Bobby beside her. She moves a branch out of sight. "Look." He looks through the opening in the branches.

"Wow. Do your parents own all of this?" 

"No. They own all the way to that water tower and the property around the camp. My family comes from old southern money. My mom had a massive trust fund but my grandma locked her out of all their accounts until she stopped being stupid. She went to court and got appointed as her guardian because she was unfit to make decisions. When she finally got sober and showed my grandma she was serious, my grandma bought this place. After a few years of my parents running it while grandma funded it she signed it over to my parents."

"That explains the house. Although, I pictured you living somewhere more colorful." She smiles.

"It was my parents house. They gave it to me and I just haven't had time to repaint it. But I do plan on putting a lot of color in it."

"Where are they now?" 

"I can show you. They're still around here. Rather close to this spot actually." He gives her a peculiar look. 

"Jacinda? Is that you?" She wiggles her eyebrows.

"We've been discovered." She climbs down, a man with hazel eyes is staring back at them. "Hi Daddy." She plops down onto the ground and hugs the old man. "I needed an escape and decided to show my friend your gorgeous peach trees." he smiles brightly at her.

"You're welcome any time." Bobby plops down next to her, wiping his hands on his camp shirt before holding it out.

"Hello, sir. I'm Bobby." The man shakes his hand firmly, contradicting the gentle smile he gave him.

"Hi there. I'm Joe, Jacinda's father. I'm guessing you're one of the new employees." Bobby smiles.

"Aye, I help out in the kitchen. I focus on the desserts more than anything but I help out with the campers whenever they need me."

"You're not from around here. Where are you from?"

"Scotland originally. But I moved to Chatham and I'm rooming with Gary."

"Oh! You should've just said you were Gary's friend to start with!" He hugs him, taking him by surprise. He pulls away and looks at Jacinda. "Do y'all wanna come in for some sweet tea?" Jacinda nods and follows her dad, leading Bobby inside.

********

"So those are your parents, huh?" He looks over at her on their way back to camp.

"Yup. They retired to the peach orchard, but stayed close so they could be close to me. Since I was a teenager they tried to stay as close to me as possible."

"Most parents do."

"Mine are a bit different though. From the age of 2 to 15 they were in and out of my life, constantly leaving to go on drug binges. That's why grandma cut them off, she raised me. They got sober when I was 12. I moved back in with them at 15 and since then they've been amazing parents. They'd still be living with me I needed a life of my own." 

"That's sweet. Not everyone manages to get out of that." She sensed the wistfulness in his voice.

"Are you alright?"

"Aye...I know how it feels, you know. Having parents that are addicts. My mum and dad were too. My mum died when I was 14. My dad disappeared completely after she died, haven't seen him since. My granny raised me too." She takes his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry about your mom." He shrugs.

"It's what ever." He clears his throat. "Uh, anyway. Grandma's are pretty great then." She stops, pulling on his hand to get his attention. He looks back at her, staring into her gorgeous eyes.

"It's not what ever. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to...but it's not what ever. You know I'm always here if you need to talk. You don't have to deal with it alone you know." He stares at her for a long time, arguing with himself.

"Thanks, Jace." She smiles.

"Any time." 

********

Bobby and Jace escort Robbie and Izzie to their cabins for the night. Listening to the kids going on and on about their days as they walked. After saying their goodnights they meet back up. Bobby gets a text, smiling as he looks at it.

"Is it Allegra?" He shakes his head, turning his phone around to see. It was a picture of Bobby and Jacinda walking besides each other by the lake. Izzie held Jace's hand and Robbie held Bobby's. Two more pictures below it showed Jace and Izzie teaching Bobby and Robbie hand clap games. She smiles. "Who sent those?" 

"Chelsea. Apparently she took them when she walked by and saw us." Jacinda's phone rings, taking her by surprise. She frowns and answers it.

"Jacinda Matthews. Oh hi, Mrs. Stevens....He just went to his cabin for the night. Is everything okay?" Her face falls and she looks at Bobby. "Oh my. I'm so sorry. When did it happen?.....That's terrible....Did you want to pick him up?.....Yeah, I'll ask him tomorrow if that's okay. I'd prefer to wait until tomorrow to tell him if that's alright.....Of course. I'll have him call you tomorrow....Okay.....I'm so sorry, Mrs. Stevens. Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow....Okay. Goodnight. Call me if you need anything. Okay, bye." She hangs up, her hand covers her mouth.

"What's wrong?" She sighs and runs a hand through her hair.

"Robbie's mother passed away."

"Oh shit. What happened?" She closes her eyes, sniffling.

"Overdose." He sighs and rubs his face.

"Fuck. Are they gonna take him home? Was that his grandma?"

"Yeah, she said we'll discuss it tomorrow. They're on their way out of town to handle it so we have to call them." She shakes her head, chewing her lip. "Poor Robbie. I feel so bad for him." She looks towards the cabin. "He's in there right now thinking everything is fine. Come morning his whole world is gonna change." She starts crying, shaking her head again. Bobby hugs her tightly.

"Hey, it'll be alright. Sure he's gonna hurt for a while but he'll make it. He's a lot tougher than he realizes. He reminds me of me." She looks up at him, her arms still around his waist. She looks into his eyes.

"You think so?" Her shimmering eyes swirled with emotion, her freckles popping against her pale skin. He puts a hand on her cheek, wiping a tear away. He nods and smiles.

"Aye. He'll make it, and he won't be alone. He has us." She hugs him tighter, her head against his chest.

"Will you be there when I tell him? I think he'd feel better having you there."

"Of course I'll be there." After a few minutes she pulls back and wipes her face.

"Okay. I'm going to go call my parents and see what they say. I'll find you tomorrow." He nods, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Okay. Don't stay up too late worrying. Call me if you need me." She smiles.

"I will. Thanks for today, by the way. I actually had a lot of fun." He smiles at her, heat creeping into his face.

"You're welcome. I had fun too." She squeezes his hand.

"You're such a good friend. Goodnight, Bobby." 

"Goodnight, Jace. Tell your parents I said hi." She nods and turns to go home. He runs his head through his hair and walks to his cabin. _**Good friend...nice. Friend zoned once again.**_

********

He's laying in bed on the phone with Allegra.

"I don't know what you want me to do. What do you want me to say, Allegra?" He hears a knock on his door. "Come in." Gary walks in, Bobby waves him over. "I gotta go."

"Will you call me later? Maybe tomorrow?"

"Dinnae ken, Allegra. There's nothing else to say." He hangs up before she can reply.

"You alright, mate? You look pretty upset."

"I'm fine, what's up?"

"I heard about the Noah thing."

"It took everything in me not to punch him."

"Same. I also heard you met my aunt and uncle." He raises his eyebrows.

"Aye, I did. They were really nice." Gary sits next to him.

"I also heard you spent most of the day with Jacinda...looking pretty cozy." He sighs.

"It doesn't matter what you heard. She was hurt about Noah so we spent some time away so she could clear her head. I didn't want her to be alone. And then afterwards the kids wanted to hang out just the four of us."

"The kids?"

"Izzie and Robbie. Jace's mini me and my mini me. They've even become friends to each other, Robbie's first mate here at camp." He pauses thinking about the phone call about Robbie's mom. "He's gonna need a mate...come tomorrow he's gonna need all the support he can get." Gary frowns.

"How come?"

"His mum passed away today...overdose." Gary's expression softens.

"Mate...that's so sad."

"Aye. He's gonna have a really hard time with this. He's gonna need a lot of support. Most kids would be hurt by this but he's a lot more fragile right now. He hasn't learned how tough he is yet."

"Are you doing okay? You look stressed." He sighs.

"I'm alright, or at least I will be. It's been a rough day."

"Wanna talk about it?" He shrugs.

"Where do I even start?"

"The first thing on your mind."

"I'm worried about Jace. She's so invested in this camp, which is great. But at the same time she's gonna overwork herself. And now she has to deal with still seeing Noah everyday, and I have to hope she won't take him back. And now I know about her mum, which probably adds to her stress. Now she's gotta deal with this Robbie thing. I know this is hurting her a lot already."

"She'll figure it all out, she always does. I know it's a lot for one person to handle, but she's been on her own her whole life."

"I thought she had her grandma?"

"She did. But she's battled a lot of her demons by herself. She refused to depend on anyone, hardly let anyone in. I'm the only one she's ever trusted enough to let in completely. She has a wall with everyone else. She hasn't told me much about her childhood but I do know it's one no kid should ever deal with. If she trusts you with anything about her personal feel honored."

"She showed me her favorite spot on the property."

"The peach trees??"

"Aye. We climbed one today and she showed me her family's land. That's when her dad found us in the tree." Gary smiles at him. He thinks back to being in the tree with Jacinda. The huge smile she had, wisps of her hair dancing in the wind, the way her eyes shined when she looked at him. All the worry lines disappearing, her shoulders relaxing. Gary nudged him.

"Has anything happened with you two yet?"

"No, I told you it won't. Besides, she keeps calling me a good friend...friend zoned. Which I'm okay with because-"

"Because you're with Allegra." He pauses.

"Aye."

"I know you like her, Bobby. I really don't think Allegra is the right one for you, I think Jace could be. Seeing how you are with each of them...it's different. You're more you when you're with Jace. With Allegra you're reserved. I mean you still make jokes but you don't seem happy around her. If you want Allegra I'll deal with it but I don't think you're as happy as you could be. It's not my decision or even my place to say...just think about it, alright?" He pats Bobby's shoulder and leaves him to it for the night. Bobby lays there for hours, sleep evading him. It was well into the night before he finally fell asleep, only to have it disturbed repeatedly of nightmares from his past.


	5. June 11, 2020

Jacinda sits up in bed, Hazel sleeping beside her. She rubs her face and groans.

"Today's gonna fucking suck." She gets a text from her mom.

_Good luck today, sweetie. You've got this! Call us if you need anything. Remember what we said last night._

_I will, thanks mom. I love y'all._

_We love you too!_ 🖤

She texts Bobby.

_After breakfast can you bring Robbie to my office?_

_You got it, lass._

_Thank you so much for everything._

_No problem._

_Did you sleep okay?_

_Yeah._ She frowns at her phone. 

_Is everything okay?_

_Aye. Why?_

_You seem off._

_Nah, I'm good._

_Okay. Well I'll see you soon then?_

_Yeah._ She rolls her eyes and puts her phone down. 

********

Bobby groans when his alarm goes off. He texts Arjun.

_I can't be there this morning. But I'll be there later. I promise._

_You're good, you don't have to help with the meals. Your job is desert._

_But we're kitchen bros, so I like to._

_Lol. You're good. Just rest._

_Thanks, mate._

_Any time._ He sighs and rolls over. **_Fuck my life._** Flashes of his nightmares play over and over in his mind. He texts Gary.

_Hey, it was one of those nights._

_I had a feeling it would be. Be there in 5._

_Thanks, mate._ A few minutes later Gary walks in and looks at him laying in bed.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not yet." He looks at Bobby carefully.

"I'm gonna ask Jace if it's alright we take the day off."

"No. I have to help with Robbie today."

"You can't help if you're drowning."

"I have to. Today isn't about me, it's about being there for him." He sighs and sits down in a nearby chair.

"Alright, but get some headspace if you get the chance."

"I will." Most of the morning was spent in silence until Bobby had to voice his thoughts. "Sometimes I wonder if I'd had come home a few minutes earlier and didn't stop to talk to Miles mum...maybe it wouldn't have happened."

"You know that's not true. You couldn't have saved her, it was her time." 

"You know that was the day my dad left and didn't talk to me anymore. I swore if I ever met him again I'd be the hell out of him."

"I'll help. We can tag team it when you get tired. Then when I get tired you can tag back in." Bobby smiles.

"Might be him to death at that point." Gary shrugs.

"He deserves it. He abused your mum and you. He left you when you needed support the most." He thinks a long time.

"Do you think he would've ever done what Jace's parents did? Actually get help?"

"Mate, hardly any addict can turn their life around in such a huge way like that. It takes people years to make as much progress as they did in such a short amount of time. And with what you've told me I wish I could say yes...but no. Your mum maybe but not your dad." He rubs his face.

"Is it normal to still miss her this much?"

"Yup. She protected you the best she could. She loved you as good as she could. She tried. Of course you'll always miss her. You loved her." Gary gets a text. "Jace wants to know if I'm with you. What do I say?"

"Lie."

"Why?"

"She has a hard day ahead of her. She'll know something is wrong if you tell her yes. My problems don't need to be added to her."

"She'll find out and get mad at you."

"Then let her. As long as she doesn't find out today. After this Robbie thing." 

********

He knocks on Jacinda's office door with Robbie next to him.

"Come in." They walk inside and he shuts the door. She looks at Bobby and frowns but doesn't say anything. She smiles at Robbie. "Morning, hun. Did you like breakfast?"

"Yeah, we had cinnamon rolls and eggs."

"Sounds delicious. Cinnamon rolls are my favorite breakfast food." 

"So what are we doing today?" Jacinda sighs and looks at him.

"Robbie I got a call from your grandma last night. About your mom. I'm afraid she passed away yesterday. I'm so sorry." Robbie stared at her, he looks to Bobby.

"What? My mom died? Is grandma okay?"

"She's upset but physically she's okay. She would like us to call her though. Right now she's handling the stuff with your mom but she said she'd be back in town tomorrow to get you if you'd like. She's giving you the option to choose to stay here or go home. If you choose here we will escort you to her funeral if you want to go. Don't rush on any of this, don't worry about keeping on schedule today. I've spoken to Noah and today me and Bobby are gonna be with you. Our priority right now is you. You can talk to Ms. Martinez if you'd like, spend the day at the lake, hang out inside, whatever you want to do." Tears starts spilling over.

"I want my mom." Bobby puts a hand on his back.

"I know, mate." Robbie shakes his hand off and gets up.

"Don't act like you know how this feels. I'm not stupid." He runs out of the office. Jacinda yells after him. 

"Robbie, wait!" He disappears from sight. She sighs and looks at Bobby. "This is gonna be a lot more difficult than I had hoped.

"Let me go talk to him."

"Shouldn't we do that together?"

"Not yet. He's hurting a whole new kind of pain. He adored his mum, even though she had her own problems. He just lost a part of himself. I know his pain, let me go get him calmed down and I'll text you."

"Okay." He gets up and walks out. He finds Robbie in the barn where the horses were. He sits next to him, but doesn't say anything. After a minute Robbie breaks the silence.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"It's alright, I know you're feeling all kinds of crazy emotions right now. I did." He looks at him. "My mum passed away when I was a teenager. I'm the one that found her."

"You did? Did you cry?"

"For weeks. I still cry once in a while."

"Does the pain ever go away?"

"No. But you learn how to live with it. It's easier if you choose healthy ways to deal with it though. My mum didn't choose the healthy way to deal with her pain." Robbie leans against him.

"I think I know how she died." Bobby swallows the lump in his throat. "I think it was something to do with drugs. I know she had problems with them." Bobby puts an arm around him.

"You're too smart sometimes." For a long time they sit quietly, Bobby comforting him. "One day, you're gonna look back on today. You're gonna sit there and think of ways it could be different, things you could've done. I want you to remember that this 100% has nothing to do with you. This was her battle and she lost. But she also won a different battle. Because now she's not hurting anymore. Now her soul lives in peace. And I know she is always going to be right beside you through everything you go through." Robbie looks up at him.

"I'm sorry I said you didn't know what this felt like. I didn't know."

"It's okay. A lot of people don't." He reads the text he got. "Jace says she loves you and to take all the time you need to feel what you feel." He just nods. 

********

Bobby looks at the time, it was midnight. He sighs and gets out of bed, putting his shirt and shoes on. He walks to the lake and sits down. Suddenly he feels a wet nose on his arm. He sees Hazel staring at him, making him smile.

"Where's your mum?" He turns and sees Jacinda at the end of the dock.

"I thought you could use someone you could actually cuddle with. Gary's more of a gorilla than a teddy bear." He smiles at her.

"Yeah. We tried it once, too solid." She chuckles and walks towards him slowly. 

"I can see that. I didn't take you as much of a cuddler though."

"I love cuddling." She sits next to him, putting her toes in the water. She looks into his eyes.

"I shouldn't have asked you to do this. I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"I didn't realize how much it hurt you. I didn't consider how personal this was for you. I caused you to hurt and I'm not okay with that."

"You didn't cause this, lass. Don't apologize." 

"I caused your wounds to reopen. So yes I do." He shrugs.

"They never closed." He feels his eyes starting to sting. For a while they don't say anything. "I found her. I came home from school and found her in the living room." She looks at him shocked. He feels hot tears stream down his cheek. She puts a hand on his cheek, wiping the tears away. She scoots closer and hugs him. After a minute she pulls back, looking into his eyes. He looks so vulnerable and broken. It made her heart ache. She puts her hand on his cheek, wiping away another tear, leaning her head against his.

"I'm sorry you're in so much pain." She kisses his cheek. "I wish I could take it away." She looks into his eyes again, getting lost in them. Before she could stop herself she leans in, kissing him softly. He holds her closer, kissing her back. Goosebumps covered her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. His heart pounded in his chest, taking his breath away. She pulls away slowly biting her lip, her face flushed. She meets his eyes. "I...I just wanted to try and make you feel better. I'm sorry." She scoots away. "I shouldn't have done that. That's not fair to Allegra. I'm so sorry. Let's just forget this happened. I'm sorry." She gets up and runs off before he can say anything, Hazel chasing after her. He watched her silhouette disappear into the night. **_What? How has this only made me even more confused??_**

********

Jacinda stares at her ceiling, her mind racing. _**I can't believe I just did that...what the fuck? I kissed him when he has a girlfriend. And I'm his boss which I've already learned is a bad combination. And he lives in England, I'll be all the way here. We could never make a long distance relationship work...but who says it has to be a relationship? Maybe we could just have sex. If he's that good at kissing who knows what else he'd be good at.**_ She shakes her head. _**What the hell am I thinking?? Sleeping with an employee wouldn't be any better. I don't want to be known as that kind of boss.**_ She stared at the moon through her windows, remembering the way he looks in the moonlight. She'd fought the urge to kiss him since the first day when they were in the lake. _**But he's different now, he's changed. And not for the better...I fear I deepened his wounds...how could I have been so careless? There's so much about him I don't know, so much about his past I don't know. I need to fix this, I need to fix him. He can't suffer alone, I need to help him...but how? He'll probably avoid me like the plague now. He'll probably pretend I don't exist anymore...but he kissed me back. Does this mean he really does like me? Or was he just getting into it? Does he want to be with me? Ugh, shut up brain. Go to sleep.**_

********

Jacinda sits in her office filing more paperwork. A gentle knock on the door interrupts her train of thought. She sighs.

"Come in." She looks up and sees Noah standing there. "Yes?"

"Jacinda....I-"

"If it's not about your campers I don't want to hear it."

"You can't just ignore this. We need to talk."

"No, we don't. You're gonna spew off a bunch of bullshit to try and make me want to be with you again. It won't happen."

"At least let me explain. How can either of us move on without any closure? You may not want to hear it right now but one day you're gonna want all the questions swirling in your head to have answers. I know you care about me a lot and I know this isn't something you're gonna be able to let go."

"Yes, it is. I've heard it before. You were either drunk or stupid. Maybe both. It got out of hand, you never meant it, she means nothing to you, you love me and only me, you don't know what you were thinking, it was an accident, it was a mistake. Am I saying anything you were thinking?" He's quiet a moment.

"Jacinda, please."

"What do you want from me, Noah? Do you want me to tell you how hurt I am? Because that's not happening."

"Of course it's not, you're emotionless. Why would you admit to feel anything for me?"

"Why would you tell me it was okay and to take my time, that you'd be waiting if you were gonna go fuck some random chick when you got lonely?"

"It's not like that!"

"How?? You made me believe that you were patiently waiting when you actually weren't worried because you were getting your fill somewhere else."

"Can I just please say my side? Will you at least let me do that?" She stands up angrily.

"No! Now I've had enough! I said do not come to me about anything except the campers. Follow my orders or get the hell out of my camp. I am your boss and nothing more. So show me some respect and leave. Now." He looks at her a long time, his eyes glassy with emotion.

"I really do love you. I'm not trying to say any excuses or lies. I fucked up. But I don't want to lose you...you're the best thing that's ever happened to me." He turns and leaves her office, shutting the door gently behind him. She collapses into her chair.

"What the fuck, Jace?" She puts her head in her hands, tears flowing before she can stop them. For a moment she let herself feel the hurt, before she swallows it down and wipes her face. She takes a few deep breaths, making herself calm down. She picks up her pen and gets back to the papers before her.

********

At the lunch table the others are all laughing at one of Gary's awful jokes. She pretends to listen and laugh, but her mind is no where near them. They swirl of confusing thoughts about Noah and Bobby. She looks around and sees Bobby walking inside. He glances at their table and looks away. The others look over and notice him walking by without saying anything as he grabs an apple and leaves. She sighs and looks down at her plate, a smile still forced. Lottie frowns.

"Why didn't he come sit with us?" Gary looks at Jacinda, but doesn't say anything. She shrugs.

"I have no clue. He seemed okay when I saw him yesterday." They go back to their food, but Gary still looks at her with concern. She smiles and squeezes his hand. "Don't worry, Gaz. Everything is fine." He gives her a half smile, but doesn't look convinced. She's interrupted by her phone again. "Sorry, y'all. I've got to take this." She gets up and walks away, answering her phone. "Hello, Mrs. Stevens. How are you doing today?"

"Oh, I'm managing. How's Robbie?"

"He's okay. Still very upset and hurt but he'll get there."

"I feel so bad with him being there alone."

"Don't. He's not. One of our employees has been through something similar and they've been supporting him. He opens up to them and right now he's the only one he'll be with right now. So it's tough but he's not alone."

"Well, that's good at least. I'm glad he made a friend."

"Me too, this stuff is easier to handle with support."

"Has he decided if he's staying or not?"

"Not yet. He's still trying to come to terms with it. But I do hope he stays, I think he needs an escape and here is as good a place as any. We have a lot of tools on dealing with this sort of thing."

"Why do you think we chose that camp?" She chuckles.

"True. Have you planned the funeral yet?"

"We're almost there. It'll be in two days, the 14th. Will you come?"

"If Robbie wants me there then absolutely. I love these kids like family. I'll do anything for any of them."

"I know you would, hun. That's why we adore you. Well, I need to be getting off of here."

"Of course. I'll try to get Robbie to call you today. Hopefully, he's feeling more open to conversation."

"I hope so, poor thing. Keep me updated, I'll talk to you soon."

"Okay, I will. Have a good day."

"You too, hun." She hangs up and sighs, rubbing her neck. 

"Jace!!" She sees Izzie running towards her, making her heart leap.

"Hey!! What are you up to?"

"I was looking for Robbie but I can't find him. I haven't seen him since yesterday at breakfast."

"He's got to work through some things right now. But I know that he'll find you when he's ready, we just have to be patient. Okay?"

"Okay...is he okay?"

"He will be in time. Life kinda threw a curveball at him. But he's learning to handle it. Let's just keep positive thoughts for him. That's the best we can do right now."

"Alright...I hope he feels better. Can you tell him that he can talk to me if he needs a friend?"

"I sure can. In the mean time, go see what some of your other friends are up to. I've got some business to take care of."

"Okay, find me later?"

"Of course."

"Will Bobby be with you?" She pauses.

"Probably not, he's pretty busy. He's been hard to pin down."

"Okay. I'll talk to you later, Jace." She runs off to a group of girls walking by. Jacinda sighs and rubs her neck again.

"This shit is giving me a tension headache....Jesus H Christ." 


	6. June 11, 2020 - continued

Bobby walks into the mess hall for lunch. He sees Jacinda sitting with their friends. He pretends not to see them and grabs an apple. He could feel her looking at him as he walks out. He had another restless night. But the nightmares were now paired with dreams of her. He runs into Rahim walking around.

"Hey, mate. What're you up to? Why aren't you with the others?" He shrugs.

"I didn't feel like being inside right now. Why aren't you?"

"Same. I've just been walking around trying to figure out what to do."

"I'm going for a hike, wanna come? It's not one of Henrik's extravagant ones, just a simple one."

"Sure." For a while they don't say anything. 

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"You seem like somethings bothering you." 

"It's nothing. Just something I'm trying to work through."

"Jacinda?" His head snaps up to look at him, making him chuckle. "Bruh, it's obvious you like her. I think she likes you too." Bobby shakes his head.

"There's a million reasons not to go there."

"Allegra?" 

"Nah, that's...not an issue anymore. She made her choice...I guess I made the choice for her. Anyway, she's also my boss. Sleeping with your boss is never a good choice. And even if I did, I leave in August to go back to the UK. Long distance relationships rarely work. And I'm too fucked up right now. I've got too much shit going on, I can't drag her down with me. She deserves someone who isn't broken."

"What's going on?" Bobby hesitates. 

"My mum died a few years ago and her death was pretty traumatizing. I thought I worked through it but recently it's come back and I'm having trouble dealing with it."

"I'm sorry, man. That's tough. I wish I could say I understand but that's something I can't pretend to know what it feels like."

"Thanks. I'll figure it out eventually." They walk in silence for the rest of the hike. 

********

Bobby sits to the side while he watches Robbie learn to play the drums from Kassam. Robbie smiles at him.

"Does it sound good?"

"It sounds amazing."

"Can you play an instrument?"

"Aye. I can play the piano." Kassam raises his eyebrows. 

"The piano? Didn't take you for a percussion guy." Bobby shrugs.

"My mum thought it would help with my concentration." 

"Care to show us a sample?" He laughs.

"Nah, I don't play anymore." Robbie clasps his hands together.

"Please???" He sighs and walks over to the piano. He thinks a minute, coming up with a song. When he decides he starts playing, the notes flowing from his mind with ease. He lets the music take his mind off his dreams, off his pain, off his worries. When he finishes he turns to see Kassam and Robbie smiling at him. Kassam nods slowly.

"I am thoroughly impressed. Can you play anything else?" 

"A bit of guitar but I'm not that good. I didn't take the time to really practice it or anything." 

"Well in music you don't observe. In music you learn, so grab a guitar. It's just us three, no one has to know." He sighs and grabs a guitar, sitting on his other side.

********

Jacinda walks up to the door of the music building, pausing to listen to the instruments. She opens it slowly and peeks inside. Bobby is sitting beside Robbie on the drums as he plays guitar. Kassam is standing in front of them smiling. She watches Bobby play the guitar. He focused on his fingers as they dance across the strings. He looked so calm, so relaxed and surprisingly incredibly focused. The sunlight shone from behind him, making his skin glow warmly. She observed his face carefully. Noting each spot he had a freckle, admiring the the angle of his jaw, his long eye lashes accenting his honey colored eyes, his full lips. She remembers what it felt like to kiss them, suddenly missing the sensation. She was so fixated on watching him play she hadn't realized she was all the way in the door now, leaning against the wall. Robbie stops and looks up at her, she motions for him to be quiet and points to Bobby. He smiles and looks at Bobby, they all three watched him. After a minute he realizes Robbie stopped and looked up noticing them all three looking at him. He sees Jacinda and blushes, putting down the guitar.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. You should keep playing, you're good." He stands up and clears his throat.

"Nah, I've got something I need to do anyway. I'll see you in a bit, Rob." He avoided her eyes as he walked by. "See you, Jacinda." She tried to hide the hurt she felt from Kassam, but she knew he'd already seen it.

"I came to tell you, Robbie, your grandma will be here on Thursday to pick you up. The funeral will be the following day, are you coming back after the funeral?" 

"Dinnae ken." She smiles.

"Picking up the Scot lingo?" 

"Maybe...is Bobby okay?" She looks at Kassam, he shrugs. 

"He's trying to work through some difficult stuff. That's all I know." 

"Then I'll be back." She looks at him curiously. "He's been here for me, I can be there for him." Jacinda beams at him.

"You are an absolutely incredible kid." She gives him a big hug, making him blush. "Bobby is very lucky to have you for a friend. Which reminds me, Izzie says if you ever want to talk to someone you can talk to her. She was worried since she hadn't seen you since yesterday. I didn't tell her anything other than you were dealing with some stuff. But if you feel up to give her a shout, it would make her day. And it might even help you, leaning on friends is vital to making it through whatever life throws at you." He nods.

"I'm not sure I want to yet, but I will when I do."

"Perfectly fine with me, she understands. But on that I need to go do some stuff, I'll see you in a bit. Keep it up, Kaz. He's getting much better." Kassam smiles.

"I told you not to call me that."

"Ell well. I call you what I feel, deal with it." She clicks her tongue and winks at him before leaving.

******** 

Jacinda finds Gary in his cabin. She flops down on his bed, making him chuckle.

"You alright, Jacey?"

"No."

"What's wrong?" She sits up.

"I kissed Bobby." He smiles.

"No way, really? About goddamn time!!"

"It didn't end well." He looks at her confused. "I remembered that he had a girlfriend. So I left as fast as I could. Since then he's been avoiding me. He opened up to me a bit about his mom...I felt so bad for him. Me asking him to help Robbie through this has hurt him...he's reliving what he went through. And it's my fault." Gary runs a hand through his hair.

"It's not that, Jace." 

"What else could it be??"

"He never dealt with this pain. Him being there for Robbie during this isn't hurting him, if anything it's helping him. He's pulled away because he thinks he can't let anyone else in. He thinks his pain is gonna drag us down. It's not you."

"Why won't he talk to me then?"

"Honestly, I think he's scared. He doesn't let people in. The only people that know about his mum besides his family is me, you and Robbie. And Miles."

"Allegra doesn't know?"

"Nope. That's how I know he doesn't have real feelings for her."

"So what do I do?"

"I wish I knew." She sighs and stands up.

"I guess I'll try and see what I can do...hopefully he comes back around. I hate seeing him hurt...I miss him. I miss his laugh and his smile. I don't want that to go away." 

"He will when he's ready. He just needs time." 

"Men. Why are y'all so damn complicated?" He rolls his eyes.

"Don't blame all of us cause Bobby is confusing as fuck." She smiles.

"Alright, I guess you're not so bad." She waltzes out of the cabin. 

********

Gary hunts down Bobby, finding him in the kitchen baking some pies for after dinner.

"There you are!" Bobby looks up.

"Aye....what's up?" Gary crosses his arms and stares at Bobby. "Oh shit. She told you didn't she?" 

"Uh, duh. What I want to know is why you're all of a sudden acting like you can't stand her." 

"What did she tell you?" He turns and sees Chelsea, Lottie and Rahim standing there.

"She told me she snogged him." Chelsea pouts.

"I'm happy for her but at the same time I'm a little jealous." Bobby's cheeks turn pink. "Damn you're cute." He clears his throat and rubs his neck.

"It's not like that, Gary." 

"Then what's it like? Is it cause of Allegra?"

"No...it's just..." He sighs. "Dinnae ken." Rahim clears his throat. 

"I know this isn't really my place but Bobby...you need to be honest with him. He's your best friend." Bobby sighs.

"Fine. Can you lot give us a minute?" He looks at the three of them. Lottie frowns but walks out, Chelsea and Rahim following close behind. "Gary....it was amazing. By far the best kiss I've ever had. It plays over and over in my head every minute. I haven't been able to get her out of my head."

"So what's the problem then?"

"I can't drag her down with me."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm drowning and if we get involved then she'll drown with me. I can't do that to her. She deserves better than that."

"What if she stops you from drowning?"

"What if she doesn't?"

"She's strong you know."

"I do know. Which is why I don't want to get involved. It's not that I don't want her but I'm not capable of being with her. And it's not Allegra. It's me." 

"Mate...you're gonna do what you feel is right. I'll always support you no matter what. But if you lock yourself inside your pain you'll never be able to fully enjoy life. You'll never let yourself heal and be happy. Maybe it's time you pay Ms. Martinez a visit."

"I'll figure it out. I just...she's so amazing. I know she's strong and would want to do this. But I can't chance pulling her down with me. Which is a lot harder than I anticipated. Every time I'm around her I just want to be there. I want to hold her hand and hug her. Do something stupid so I can hear her laugh and see her smile. I'm forever getting lost in her eyes, this lass is getting to me. I can't stop thinking about her and it's killing me."

"So stop fighting it. Don't decide her future with you for her, let her decide. If you're that crazy about her then be with her. The more you fight it the harder it'll get. Don't push her away."

"What if I hurt her? There's so many things I still have to fix, what if being with me right now only hurts her?"

"I understand you only want to be the best version of yourself you can be. I do. But sometimes you need help to get through things. I can support you but as far as understanding she's got me beat there. She hasn't known loss like you but she understands what it's like to grow up with addicts as parents. She could be the part of you you need to get through this." He turns and walks away. 

********

During the nightly campfire, he convinced Robbie to attend, he listened to the others talk. He didn't run away when Jacinda approached them, but he did avoid her eyes. He stayed quiet, listening to the others. He looked over and saw Robbie sitting with Izzie, smiling. He couldn't hide how happy it made him feel to see him making friends. A voice beside him startles him.

"That never happened before...not until you." He looks over and sees Jacinda sitting beside him. "He's never really given any of the other campers a chance. He's really come out of his shell since he met you." Bobby looks back at Robbie, not saying anything. Jacinda sighs. "I don't like it when you don't talk to me...it hurts me. I'm not sure why it bothers me so much since I barely know you...but it does. I miss talking to you. It's only been like a day but...it hurts not being seen by you." He looks at her confused.

"Not being seen by me?" She nods.

"Yeah, you haven't really looked at me all day or even talked to me. You keep ignoring me, giving one answer replies when I text you, avoiding me."

"Jacinda...I see you. I've been seeing you...I just...can't."

"Can't what?"

"Can't let myself get too close to you. I think you're gorgeous, funny, smart, caring...but we wouldn't make a good match. So I can't let myself get close to you and risk anything happening between us again...I'm sorry." She looks down, making herself swallow the hard lump caught in her throat.

"I understand...I'm sorry for last night. I should've considered your feelings and Allegra. I wasn't thinking...I'm sorry I put you in such an awkward position." He sighs and runs his hand through his hair.

"Jacinda-"

"Please don't call me Jacinda. I don't like it." 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't."

"You seem upset..."

"Why would I be? Everything is working out now. Robbie seems to be doing alright, you're still my friend. Everything is great." She forces a smile and looks at him. "Now I need to get steal my dog back from my parents. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Robbie leaves at 9 am on Thursday by the way. He'll be back though, I just don't know when." She gets up and walks away. Bobby groans to himself.

"Smooth, Bobby." Gary scoots closer.

"I'm not even gonna try to hide it but I heard all of that."

"Of course you did."

"So you're a fucking a dumbass."

"Why now?"

"Because you just threw away what possibly could've been the best thing to ever happen to you. I know you don't know her, but I do. And I know you. You may be broken...but she's what Lottie calls a healer. She won't walk away from someone until she thinks they can make it. She can't live with herself knowing she didn't do everything she could. I know you think you'll drag her down with you...but I think she'd pull you up with her."

"I can't risk tearing her down. She's been through enough."

"So have you. Don't make yourself suffer alone, that never helps anyone. You need support to heal...she'd be your biggest supporter."

"We barely know each other. Right now she can walk away from this and not hurt. She can have a clean cut away from this, no baggage, no issues."

"What if she doesn't want to walk away?"

"Drop it, it's not happening." He gets up, walking away from Gary. He sees Noah and Jacinda off to the side talking by themselves. She meets his eyes, making his heart ache at the hurt on her face. Noah looks over and sees him, frowning. Bobby shakes his head and walks away. _**Why am I letting myself go through this? How did a summer camp become so complicated?? What kind of fucking place is this???**_ He plops down on his bed, wanting to talk to someone. Granny would be asleep, Gary won't stop pushing Jacinda, Robbie was a kid. He had no one left...he gets dressed for bed feeling alone in the world.


	7. June 13, 2020

He watches Robbie's grandmother's car disappear around the corner. His heart deflated with his young friend going on his own. _**What if he hurts too much? What if he can't make it back after this? I won't be there for him out there...will his family be supportive enough?**_

"Bobby..." He doesn't look at her standing beside him.

"I'm fine." He turns and walks away, far away. He keeps walking along the paths created in the forest. Drenched in sweat, he takes off his shirt, attempting to cool off. He eventually finds a cliff over looking the forest. He stops and stares out over the land, wishing he could talk to his mom. "Why does it always feel like everything is falling apart? Why can't I just breathe for once without feeling like I can't."

"Because you won't let yourself." He turns around and sees Jacinda standing there. "Don't looks so surprised. You forget I've walked these paths a thousand times." He looks back out to the cliff. She sighs. "Bobby, stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Pushing me and everyone else away. I know you're hurting but you can't let yourself hurt alone. You'll never move forward if you don't heal from it."

"I'm fine, Jace. Go back to the camp...you're probably needed."

"They'll be fine without me."

"So will I." She stands there quietly for so long he thought she left, until he looks back and sees her standing there with her arms crossed. She was just wearing simple clothes but she still looked so beautiful. Her camp shirt sweaty from the humidity, her jean shorts tattere, her black high top converse filthy from the wear and tear of the camp. "Jacinda, I'm fine. Stop worrying about me, I've done this before. I'll be fine." 

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" He looks to the side, glancing down. 

"I'm not convincing anyone. I'm just saying so you stop worrying." She walks up to him.

"Why? Why are you pushing everyone away?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I don't know. Dinnae ken, lass. It just feels too personal, too vulnerable to show anyone. And I can't hide it right now."

"Why is it a bad thing that people see your pain? Why is it a bad thing that you have feelings?"

"Because it just is. I don't like feeling it much less showing it. Letting someone that close is too big a risk."

"How is it a risk? Why is it bad to let someone get close to you?"

"The more people you let in the more chance they'll leave. I can handle anymore people leaving. I can't handle anymore hurt. I can't even get rid of this pain. I'm just broken and I've made peace with that." She sighs and touches his cheek.

"The pain will come. Let it visit, cry it out, vent it out, bleed it out. Then ask it to leave." He looks into her eyes. "Do not allow it to build a home and call it broken. We aren't meant to be broken forever, that is a punishment to our hearts and minds." 

"What if it won't leave?" A gentle breeze blows between them, making her hair sway softly against her skin. 

"You make it leave. Don't let it tell you what happens."

"It's not that easy."

"It is. Making it leave won't be easy but deciding to make it leave is. But you have to be the one to do it. I can't do it for you." She takes his hand. "You don't have to let me in completely but I'm not walking away from you. If you don't want to be with me-"

"I never said I don't want to be." She looked at him confused. "You said you didn't want to get close to me."

"I said I couldn't, not that I didn't want to." She searches his eyes for an answer. 

"What do you want? Not what you think you should want...what do you actually want?" He rubs his thumb gently against her cheek. _**I want you. I want to hold you and kiss you. I want to be with you.**_ He leans down and kisses her, his heart pounding wildly in his chest, stealing her breath away. She deepens the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. He holds her closer, his arms around her waist. The rest of the world melts away into fireworks. She pulls away from him, breathing hard. 

"Don't pull away from me."

"Technically you just pulled away from me so...." She smiles.

"Dork." He smiles and sighs.

"Jace...what I want and what I need aren't the same right now. I'm not who you deserve yet. I don't think it would be a good idea for us to be together right now.. I want to but I'm not in the right headspace for it. So I think it's best if we're just mates for now." 

"I can't say I'm not disappointed but I understand. I'd make you accept me as a friend anyway because this isn't something you can do alone." He hugs her gently.

"You're stubborn."

"I know. You'll get used to it though."

********

They sit down for lunch beside each other at the usual spot with the others. Everyone looks between them. Bobby looks around.

"What?" Lottie raises her eyebrows. 

"So?" Jacinda shrugs.

"So what? What are y'all staring for?" Chelsea sighs.

"How's Robbie??"

"Oooh. He's pretty upset still, but he'll make it. He's coming back we just don't know when. His grandma got Bobby's number so he'll probably call him soon." Gary looks between them suspiciously. 

"What's going on?" Bobby raises an eyebrow. 

"Besides the fact we're worried about Robbie? Nothing."

"But you two are almost back to normal now...what about your whole wall thing, Bobby?" He sighs.

"Can we not do this right now? Why is it someone always has to try and have this talk every single time I'm around. It'd be nice to feel like we could just have normal conversations." Jacinda looks at Gary sternly. 

"He's right, give the boy a break." He frowns.

"Boy?"

"What, would you prefer lad? Maybe laddie." He smiles.

"Good job on picking that up, lass." 

"So I have a serious question." He gives her a skeptical look. "Is the lochness monster real?" Him and some of the others laugh. Lottie shrugs.

"To be fair, I've always wondered what the Scottish think of that too." 

"I believed she was real until I was like 13...I still kind of do. Not like to the point I'm gonna go try and find her, but like not completely blow off the idea of her existence." Chelsea leans over to Gary.

"What I wanna know is does he really have kilts?" Gary smiles and wiggles his eyebrows at Bobby.

"Yup. Seen him in it before, convinced him to show me." Lottie bites her lip. 

"Spicy. I'd love to see it." Kassam frowns.

"Babe! You do realize I'm right here, right?" She smiles and kisses his cheek. 

"You're still my number one. It's just a joke. I prefer musicians." Jacinda blushes slightly at the memory of watching Bobby play.

"Bobby is a musician. I've seen him play." He blushes and looks away.

"I have no clue what you're talking about. I was watching Robbie play, right Kassam?" Kassam looks between them a minute.

"Exactly. Don't know what you saw, Jace, but it wasn't that." She squints her eyes.

"Traitor." Chelsea bites her lip, looking at Bobby. 

"So...I was thinking of going swimming later. Wanna come?" He blushes at the way she looks at him. "You're so cute when you blush." Jacinda scoots slightly closer to Bobby, the others not noticing. He clears his throat and puts a hand on her knee.

"Uh, thanks. I mean I've got a lot of free time since Robbie isn't here. Do you lot wanna join us?" He looks at Jace, making her smile. _**Glad to see she isn't turning his head.**_

"Sounds fun. I'm in, anyone else wanna join?" The others nod along, muttering agreements. 

********

Bobby walks by the cabins on his way to his. Someone pulls him to the side in between cabins. He looks into her gorgeous hazel eyes, his heart fluttering.

"Fancy meeting you here." She giggles.

"Right! Anyway, I just wanted to steal you alone for a moment. Before Chelsea tried to jump your bones again." He smiles.

"Jealous are we?"

"Pssh. I don't get jealous. Besides, we're just friends, remember?"

"Right, friends who snog." She rolls her eyes.

"That was once."

"No, that's twice now." She sighs.

"And it won't happen again. We can't keep doing that, it's not right. And it's not fair to Allegra. I keep forgetting about her and every time I remember I feel incredibly guilty." He rubs his neck. 

"About that..." She holds up her hands.

"It's fine, we don't need to go there right now. Let's just have fun today...I just got you back and I'm not chancing losing you again." He sighs.

"I don't think anything could make you lose me."

"Good. I don't wanna. Having you around makes things better. You're one of my closest friends now, I cherish my friends." He looks into her eyes. "Don't look at me like that. You said we couldn't be more than friends so we won't be. It's better this way."

"I know..."

"Now I'm going to go get dressed and grab Hazel from my parents and then meet y'all at the lake." He smiles.

"Okay. I'll see you soon." She gives him a quick hug before running to her house. 

********

Jacinda puts on her favorite bikini and looks over herself in the mirror. The brightly colored red, green and yellow flowers popped against her skin. The tiny tassels hanging off around the top of her bikini bottoms and the hem of her bikini tops danced with each movement. After retrieving Hazel she heads to the lake. As soon as Hazel sees Bobby she takes off, jumping on him. She bites her lip, her cheeks heating up as she stares at him. He wore vibrant purple swim shorts and no shirt. He looks in the direction Hazel came from, his smile slowly fading. _**God, look at the way he's staring. How is it so flattering and nerve-wracking at the same time? He does look really good though...those tattoos. No, Jace! We've been over this. He's been over this.**_ He stands up and smiles at her.

"Hey, lass." 

"Hello Bobby. I like your swimsuit."

"I like yours too. It fits nice. I mean it looks nice. I mean I like the colors...and the flowers. I mean not that it doesn't look great on you....it does. I just didn't want you to think that was the only thing I noticed. Even though I just brought attention to that. And now I won't stop talking about it, how is this going?" She laughs.

"Very clumsy. But in a cute way." He bites his lip.

"At least it's working in my favor."

"Bobby....that sounds more than friends."

"You're right, I'm sorry." She takes his hand, leading him to the lake. Staring at the lake always made her feel so relaxed.

"I never get tired of this view. Look, you can see my house."

"Which room is yours so I know where to look when you're getting dressed." She swats his arm.

"Don't be a pervert!" He laughs. 

"I'm joking! I won't watch, that's creepy. I swear I'll stay in my cabin at night." She rolls her eyes and leans towards him slightly. 

"You think you're so funny."

"I'm very funny actually. And I know that you know that. That's one of the things you love most about me." 

"Is it though? I mean, you have a big ego. And you're awfully flirty for a guy in a relationship."

"Okay that hurts. One, I do not have a big ego. I'm a little offended." She smiles and leans closer, her face close to his.

"Are you? Maybe I should make it up to you." His pulse races. She leans in a little closer before pushing him into the lake. He burst through the surface of the water and shakes his head.

"That's cold, lass. And I don't just mean the water."

"Paybacks a bitch, ain't it?" She laughs loudly, her cheeks turning pink. He sees Hazel on the grass nearby. He whistles at her, getting her attention. Jacinda turns and see her as she dashes towards them, knocking into the side of Jacinda's legs. Jacinda screams as she loses her balance, falling into the cold water. She pops up and wipes her face. "You really had to use my own dog against me?" He laughs.

"Aye, you asked for it."

"You started all of this." 

"You needed to have a laugh. Laughter is the best medicine." 

"Is that why you act so goofy all the time? To make people laugh?" He thinks a moment.

"When my mum had one of her lucid moments she would be really sad. Sometimes mad but mostly sad. I hated seeing her cry so I started doing anything and everything to make her laugh. Her smile was my favorite thing about her." She swims close to him.

"Why do you hold all this in?"

"Dinnae ken. I feel really...vulnerable I guess. I don't like that feeling."

"But you tell me." He pulls her closer, their faces inches from each other.

"It's different with you. I'm not sure why, but it feels different." She smiles at him.

"You melt."

"Got that one from Gary, did you?"

"Aye." 

"Are you gonna adopt all UK lingo?"

"That's the goal." A huge splash interrupts them, making them laugh. Gary emerges, shaking the water off his head. A minute later Chelsea and Lottie walk onto the deck. Chelsea pouts.

"You're already in the water." He smiles.

"Jace pushed me in." For the next hour they swim around, splashing each other in teams. Other campers join them, Izzie being one of them. When it came time for dinner they sent the campers to get ready. They all start climbing out to dry off themselves. Chelsea slips on some mud by the water, Bobby catching her by the waist just before she hit the ground. She blushes in his arms, making him feel nervous. 

"Thanks." He helps her up, clearing his throat.

"You're welcome." She slowly looks over his body before grabbing her towel. 

"I'll see you at dinner then." He only nods in response before she walks away, hooking arms with Lottie. They whisper to each other as they walk away. Gary and Jacinda stare between them. Gary puts his hand on his hips.

"So you and Chels?"

"I mean, no. I don't think it would be a good idea." Jacinda looks down, avoiding his gaze.

"She seems to really like you..." He looks at her for a long time.

"She's not the one I can't stop thinking about." 

********

Jacinda sits beside Ibrahim at the camp fire.

"How goes it, Rahim?" He shrugs.

"Pretty good, can't complain too much. You run a pretty great place." She smiles and bats her eyelashes.

"Why thank you, hun. I try." He laughs. She looks over and sees Bobby smiling and laughing with Chelsea. She tries to ignore the deflating feeling she got suddenly. Rahim nudges her shoulder.

"He doesn't want her."

"I find that hard to believe...she's incredible. I wouldn't blame him."

"But she's not why he pulled away."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"In theory it is...but at the same time no. He pulled away from you because he cares too much about you to hurt you. He thinks he'll drag you into his darkness when you don't deserve to be. You're who he wants, it won't be long before he stops fighting it."

"What about Allegra? I'm not okay with being the other woman." Rahim frowns.

"Him and Allegra broke up."

"What? When?"

"The other night. I don't know much of the details besides he said he was done being second best to the other guy. He wanted to be someone's world." She looks at Bobby.

"So what should I do? It would be a bad idea to get mixed up with another employee....and he leaves in August. Plus he said he wanted to be friends." Rahim looks into the fire, lost in thought. For a minute she thought he'd forgotten she was there until he spoke again.

"Don't focus on time limits, don't focus on what if's. You don't have to jump into it if you don't want to...but don't deny yourself of something that could be great. I'm not saying marry him, I'm just saying be open-minded with him. I reckon you could make him see what's right in front of him. He only said that cause he's scared to be with you. But I think he'll get tired of fighting it and give in." She sighs and leans against his solid shoulder.

"What has that Scottish pastry chef done to me?" Rahim laughs.

"Turned your head." She looks at him, shocked.

"Oh, you think so? I wasn't exactly putting my all into my relationship before I met him. It didn't feel right, I guess." She looks at Bobby again. He looks over, meeting her eyes. He winks at her, making her blush. She pats Rahim's leg. "Alright, I'm going in. Wish me luck." He smiles at her.

"Good luck, Jace." She approaches Bobby and Chelsea gingerly. 

"Sorry, Chels. I was hoping to steal Bobby for a bit." Chelsea tries to hide the disappointment in her eyes, nodding.

"Absolutely, babes. Go ahead, I want to go chat with Henrik a bit anyway." She wiggles her eyebrows at Jace, leaning close to her as she passes. "Grab him and don't let go. You're the only one he sees, take advantage of that. We both know they don't come like that often." She winks at her and waltzes off. Bobby gives her an amused expression.

"What did she say?"

"Nothing. Fancy a walk?" He smiles brightly.

"Absolutely." She leads him away from the group, walking along the moonlit paths. 

"So...when were you gonna tell me about Allegra?" He winces.

"Dinnae ken, I haven't even told Gary yet."

"Was it because of me?"

"Nope. It was because she decided that the way to fix our fighting was to sleep with Miles while we were still together."

"Wait, she's in England though. He's still in Glasgow."

"Aye, but she flew there to visit family. I think the family thing was an excuse to see him again. It's not hard to run into someone you know there."

"I'm sorry she cheated on you. I know you really liked her." He shrugs.

"It's whatever at this point. Kind of like how you feel about Noah." 

"Makes sense. When did you find out?" He looks down.

"The same day you found out about Noah." She looks at him gloweringly.

"When?"

"When she called me and we were by the lake." She racks her brain trying to remember that moment. 

"Wait, really? Right before we went to the peach trees?"

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you say anything? I asked you and you said it was nothing. That's definitely something." 

"Because you needed a mate." She stops and stares at him with amazement. "What?" She walks up to him looking into his eyes.

"How can you be so hurt yet still worry about everyone else?"

"Sometimes when it's someone you care about their happiness comes first." Her eyes shimmered with emotion.

"I have never met anyone like you, Bobby. I have never met anyone so caring and thoughtful." His heart pounded in his chest as he stared into her eyes. He felt completely vulnerable every time she looked at him the way she was at that moment. She wraps her arms around his neck. "I'm scared this is a stupid idea." 

"What is?"

"Feeling this way about you. Mostly because you live so far away. I can handle everything else." He leans his head against hers.

"Me too, lass. I'm not good at temporary things. Attachment issues and what not." She smiles and leans closer, their lips almost touching.

"Then why can't we stay away from each other?" 

"Dinnae ken. All I know is I don't want to stop." She closes the distance between them. He runs one hand up her back to her hair, deepening their kiss. The rest of the world evaporates as they get lost in the kiss. She pulls him as close as possible, relishing in the sensation of his lips against hers. After several heavenly minutes they pull apart to catch their breath. 

"We're fucked."

"I mean technically no. But...." She smiles and nudges his shoulder.

"Pervert."

"I am not a pervert. I'm funny." She kisses him softly.

"I guess you're cute too."

"You looked like you thought I was more than cute when you saw my tattoos." Her cheeks turn pink. 

"I was surprised. And I was admiring the artistry of your tattoos." 

"Right. When I was looking at your ass in that bikini I was admiring the way the little hangy things moved every time you moved." She laughs and wraps her arms around his neck again, hugging him.

"You're such a dork."

"If I'm your dork then I'm okay with that." She pulls away and looks at him. "I didn't think I said that out loud...I think I need to work on that.....moving on. We should get to bed. I've got an early start tomorrow." He takes her hand in his as they walk towards the cabins. They bask in the comfortable silence beside each other. Once they get to his cabin she looks at him with worry flashing in her eyes. 

"Do you think you'll be able to handle the funeral? I don't want you to hurt yourself more." 

"Lass, Robbie needs me. This hits close to home but I can't let that stop me from being there for him when he needs me. He depends on me and I can't let him down." She smiles. 

"I knew pairing you two up was a good idea. Speaking of the funeral though, do you have anything to wear?" 

"Aye, that's where Gary and I disappeared to yesterday after lunch. It's not a suit cause I don't do suits...but it is a nice shirt and pants."

"I wonder what that looks like. I've only seen you in t-shirts and cargo shorts." He chuckles.

"Dressing up isn't my thing but luck you, you'll get to see tomorrow. But I need to get my beauty sleep so I should be going in." She sighs.

"I guess so." He kisses her cheek as she pulls away from their hug. "Goodnight, Bobby."

"Goodnight, Jace." 


	8. June 14, 2020

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been having a rough few days and had to take a small break for my mental health. But now I'm back and focused and ready to keep going. So thanks for your patience. 🖤

Bobby looks in the mirror after he rinses off the leftover shaving cream, patting it dry gently. He put the towel down and looked at his reflection. **_Why does it feel like I'm reliving it? It's been ten years...it shouldn't be like this anymore, right?_** He shakes his head and grabs his shirt, slipping it on his shoulders. He hears a knock as he begins buttoning his shirt.

"Come in." Jacinda walks in, somehow, looking even more gorgeous. She wore a plain black pencil skirt, fitted black button up with the top two buttons undone and black stilettoes. She freezes when she sees him buttoning his shirt, immediately blushing. 

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, lass. I didn't think it was you or I would've told you to hold on. I thought we were meeting out front." He finishes buttoning his shirt and starts trying to button the cuffs. She walks over smiling and reaches for his cuffs.

"Here, let me. I came to see if you were almost done getting ready." He sneaks a look at her as she focus on the buttons. 

"You wore makeup." She clears her throat.

"Uh, yeah. Just mascara and blush really. And a little bit of lip gloss. It's waterproof mascara so it won't run." She finishes his cuffs and straightens out the shoulders of his shirt, meeting his eyes as she straightens out his collar. "I'm pretty impressed with how well you clean up." She gives him a playful grin, mischief glittering in her eyes. 

"So do you. You look very...professional?"

"I kinda have to. I represent the leadership of this camp. But thanks for that. Heels are a nice change from the converse I wear everyday." He smiles.

"I like your camp look better. This is a nice look too though." She blushes again.

"How are you feeling today?"

"Fine."

"Bobby...." He sighs and looks down.

"It's hard and really familiar but I'll make it." She moves some of his hair out of his face. 

"We'll be okay, we've got this." She places a hand on his cheek. He hugs her tightly. _**Please let me focus on Robbie today, let me make it through today.**_

********

Jacinda takes his hand as they stand in front of the church. His mind goes back to him standing in front of his church at home. He remembers staring at the big doors. _**Was it actually dark and cloudy or am I just remembering that because it felt like that?**_ He felt the same pain in his chest he felt then.

"Are you okay?"

"I will be." They walk inside, looking around. Bobby hears his name being yelled across the room, turning to see Robbie running towards him, bearing a huge smile. He kneels down and meets him for a hug. "Hey! There he is." Robbie hugs him tightly. 

"I missed you."

"I missed you too, mate." He pulls back and smiles at him. "How goes it?"

"Dinnae ken, it's been pretty hard at home." Bobby smiles.

"You really are my mini me, you're picking up on my Scot lingo." Robbie's grandparents make their way over to them. His grandfather holds out his hand to him and Jace.

"I'm guessing you're Bobby. And this gorgeous woman must be Jace. I'm David, Robbie's grandfather. We haven't met yet." Bobby smiles at them both.

"Nice to meet you, sir. Hello again, Mrs. Stevens." His grandma leans over and hugs him.

"I told you to call me Patty. I hate formalities." He smiles.

"I'll keep that in mind." Robbie leans against Bobby as they talk to his grandparents, his arm around his shoulder. Bobby looks around the church nervously, trying to move past the memories threatening to break through. Jacinda wraps her arm around his waist, still talking to David and Patty. He instinctively puts his arm around her too. A man with curly brown hair like Robbie's approaches.

"Hey kiddo." Robbie smiles.

"Hey, dad. These are my friends from camp, Bobby and Jace. This is my dad, Ben." Jacinda holds out her other hand.

"Nice to meet you, we've heard a lot about you."

"So are you two counselors?"

"Actually no. Bobby is our pastry chef and Robbie's mentor. I'm the camp director, my parents own the camp." 

"Oh, nice. I hadn't realized there was a mentor program."

"It's not exactly a mentor program. Sometimes campers take to certain employees there and the employees offer up their free time to spend with the kids. Basically just camp buddies."

"What kind of stuff do you do at this camp? Is it just a normal summer camp?"

"Actually, no. I fear we don't exactly have time to go into that right now but I would absolutely love to talk to you about this a bit later. Patty can give you my number, maybe we could even show you around a bit so you can get a better idea of what it's like. Then you can feel a bit more at ease knowing what's going on while Robbie is with us." Benjamin smiles at her.

"That's very nice of you, I might take you up on that offer."

"Wonderful, I'll have to catch up with you afterwards." They all get ushered in to take their seats. Bobby sat between Jace and Robbie, Robbie leaning against him. Jacinda held onto his arm the whole time, giving Robbie a reassuring smile every time he looked over at them. He looks at the casket in the front, thinking about sitting in the front row his grandparents to his left and Miles to his right. Miles walked beside him as he walked up to say his goodbyes. He tried hard to fight back the tears. Miles put his hand on his shoulder.

"Bobby...it's okay to mourn." He sniffles, making Bobby turn to look at him. Miles has tears streaming down his face. Bobby let's the tears fall.

"Mate...how am I gonna do this?" 

"Cause you're tough and you have me." Bobby smiles at his best friend. He comes back to the present when Jacinda squeezes his arm. He blocked out his past the best he could, silently trying to control his suffering.

********

At the wake Jacinda stays beside Bobby the whole time. He doesn't say much, mostly just listens and watches. Robbie stayed with then whenever his family wasn't calling for his attention. He gave Bobby and Jace a tour of his grandparents house. He runs up to the piano in the den.

"Bobby, will you play?" He smiles.

"Not today, mate."

"Why not?"

"Too many people, you know I don't play in front of people."

"Pleeease?" He sighs and walks over to the piano and sits down. Robbie sits beside him on the large bench, jittering with excitement. 

"Any requests?"

"No, not really." Bobby thinks for a moment, meeting Jacinda's eyes. She smiles at him, making his heart pound. He looks down at the piano and starts playing a song that came to mind. As he plays Jacinda walks over and sits beside him. She beams at him, her eyes twinkling as she watches him. For a few minutes he feels happiness with Robbie and Jace sitting beside him, like it wasn't so bad after all. When he finishes he hears applauding behind him, seeing everyone smiling at him. He looks at Jacinda.

"Ten points if you can name it."

"Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol." 

"Too easy."

"I've never heard a piano cover of it, but I like that one better than the original." He blushes as she kisses his cheek. "Man of many talents." He turns to Robbie.

"Wanna try it out?"

"I can't do it."

"Yes you can, you've been practicing the piano at camp. Come on." He teaches him some of the chords, his family watching from the sidelines. After a while Jacinda puts a hand on his back

"Hate to break up the fun, but we should go." He nods and stands up. As they say their goodbyes to everyone, Benjamin shakes Bobby's hand.

"I was hoping I could talk to you a bit."

"Sure." He leads him away as Jacinda talks to Patty.

"So I will see y'all Monday. Izzie is gonna be happy, she misses him. She asks about him everyday, she's worried." Patty sighs.

"I can't thank you enough. You've given him something to look forward to. He knows he's not alone and he's learning to trust people. And Bobby...you made a good choice there. He's exactly the man Robbie needs, someone who can relate to him and someone he can look up to. You've made a very good choice there." Jacinda looks at her curiously. "Honey, I've been on this earth a long time. I have a super power of knowing which people are meant to be and you two...I haven't seen that in a long time." Jacinda looks over at Bobby talking to Benjamin, smiling.

"I certainly have never met anyone like him." 

********

"Where are we going?"

"We have the rest of the day off and we're going to go have fun." He smiles at her.

"Should I be scared?"

"A little bit. Oh! You'll need this by the way." She hands him a bag from the backseat.

"How did you get my clothes?" 

"You're room is completely chaotic. It wasn't hard to find something. Though I did wash them because I wasn't sure what was actually clean. So they smell like me." 

"When did you go in my room?" 

"When you left camp grounds with Gary the other day."

"I feel a little bit violated but also that's kind of hot." She laughs.

"It's hot that I invaded your privacy and went in your cabin without your permission?"

"I'm not really sure why...but what are we doing first?"

"I figured we'd start off with something I KNOW you'd love. Arcade." 

"I might love you." She laughs again.

"You think you love me because we're going to an arcade?"

"Yes, I'm a simple man." 

"Not sure simple is how I would describe you." 

"Now I'm offended that you would imply I'm anything but simple."

********

They sit down at the table, sweaty from running around. He smiles at her.

"This place is amazing." 

"Wait until we go to the next thing."

"The next thing? What else are we doing?"

"Paint ball. I finally get to prove I'm better than you." 

"Oh really?" She winks.

"Yup. I learned how to hunt when I was a kid. My uncle taught me how to shoot when I was 10." 

"Wait, like actual hunting? Like shooting stags and hogs?"

"Yup. This is Texas, learning to hunt at a young age is essential."

"Right.....learning to use a weapon as a child is essential."

"Hey, don't shade our ways." He puts his hand up in surrender.

"I didn't mean to. Just...unusual I guess."

"I'm full of surprises."

"I've noticed." He looks at her as she reads the menu. _**She's so gorgeous. How is it possible to be that beautiful?**_ He looks down and pretends to read the menu when she looks up. She smirks.

"I saw that." He keeps looking at the menu.

"No clue what you're talking about." She rolls her eyes and looks back at the menu. "What made you decide to do this today?" She puts down the menu and looks at him.

"It's been a tough few days and we both needed a break. Someone told me laughter is the best medicine."

"What about all the stuff you have to do at camp?"

"Chelsea is stepping up for the day and my dad is on call for anything Chelsea can't do....did it work?"

"Did what work?"

"Do you feel better?" He smiles and looks at her expectant expression. 

"Aye. It did. I haven't had this much fun in ages."

"Then it looks like you're the one that needs to have a bit of fun, not me."

"Let's agree to disagree."

"Mhmm, that's what losers say."

"I am not a loser."

"That's also what losers say too."

"I never knew you were so mean, lass. I'm not sure I wanna be friends anymore. Maybe I should go home." He starts to stand up when she grabs his hand, laughing. 

"You're not going anywhere. You're sitting right here with me." He smiles and sits down again.

"I'll give you one more chance." After a moment he looks down at his hands. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"What's wrong with your mum? Like I know she's sick but what is it?" She sighs and looks down.

"The long term us of the drugs she did took a toll on her body. It caused some severe damage to her lungs, kidney and heart. Her kidneys are starting to fail and they're worried her heart might too. Right now we're just looking at all our options and trying to figure out the next step. Which is why I took over, so they could take care of her."

"I'm sorry, Jace."

"It's okay. We'll figure it out, I just hope we have enough time to spend together. I want to be there to the end." He takes her hand.

"You're amazing."

"How so?"

"You're just the strongest person I've ever met." She blushes and shrugs.

"This world doesn't take it easy on anyone, you have to learn to be tough if you want to survive." 

"Okay, next question. What exactly is this camp about? I've noticed a few of the campers have been through similar stuff we have. And not many camps I know have a child trauma therapist on site." She sighs and rubs her neck.

"This camp is probably the best thing my parents have ever done. They got clean when they saw what they were actually putting me through. They saw the influence my grandma had on me, they saw what their friends kids were going through. Their friends were addicts too so their kids were going through what I went through. They fought to get clean and worked hard to help mend their relationship with me and grandma. They fought tooth and nail to drag themselves out of that hole. After about a year or two of sobriety they started volunteering at different charities that help families in needs. A lot of the families had at least one addict. They felt so bad for them and wished there was a place for kids who come from broken families to escape. A place where they had full freedom to be kids and learn how to deal with the troubles of broken families. Thus, Camp Redbird was born."

"That's so amazing. Why Redbird?"

"The Redbird in reference is a cardinal. Cardinals were my grandma's favorite bird and since she was such a huge part of all our lives and had such a massive impact on all of us they decided to honor her. She passed away earlier this year. Now it's more of in memory of her rather in honor of her." 

"How are you still so full of hope?" 

"I refuse to be knocked down. Life can throw whatever it wants at me but I won't be knocked down and pushed around. I decide my fate, no one else. I make my life into what I want."

"The more I learn about you the more I like you. There's no one else like you." She blushes again. 

"Robert McKenzie. I must warn you flattery doesn't usually work on me." He laughs.

"I'm not really trying to flatter you...unless it works then I definitely did it on purpose." 

"You're a hot mess. What am I gonna do with you?" He shrugs and looks down.

"Not leave." She tangles her fingers in his.

"I won't be going anywhere. I'm stickier than glue on a popsicle stick."

"That sounds like something Rahim would say."

"Because it is, I definitely got that from him." 

********

They lay in the back of her truck, looking at the sunset. The orange and purple sky swirled above them. 

"I actually had fun today." She raises her eyebrows.

"Were you worried you wouldn't??"

"Not because of you." Her eyes soften, she turns on her side to look at him. She studied every inch of his face, admiring every freckle, every shadow. His eyes captivating her thoughts. His eyes always mesmerized her.

"You wanna talk about it?" He thinks a long time.

"I don't know how to deal with it."

"How did you before?"

"I don't think I did. I kinda went down a dark path."

"Really?"

"When I was 16 I got into drugs a bit. Mostly pain killers. I started to go the same path my parents went. It got pretty destructive."

"How did you get out?"

"One night a police officer stopped us from trespassing at our school in the middle of the night. He recognized me because he used to be mates with my dad, so he knew about everything. He saw I was fucked up and searched me. He found some pills on me and for a long time he just stared at me. He drove me home and my grandma answered the door. She got really mad at me, she even slapped me. She told me if I wanted to start being a fuck up like my dad then I needed to leave. And then she started crying and talking about my mum. Miles came over the next day when my grandma called him. He barged into my room and threw a shoe at my head. He started yelling at me about being a dumbass and hurting my family like my parents did. He made me remember what it felt like to watch my parents hurt us. After that he helped me pull my head out of my ass."

"He sounds like a really good friend..."

"He was....I miss him."

"Call him."

"Nah, that shits over."

"It doesn't have to be." He looks at her.

"Lass, she's put too much of a wedge between us. Our friendship can't be fixed. Not anymore." She sighs.

"I wish you would try, but I get it. I wish there was something I could do for you." He takes her hand.

"Just being there is enough. Even if we don't talk I like having you around, it doesn't hurt as much." She smiles and cuddles up to him, her head on his chest. She points to a star.

"Look! It's the first star, make a wish!" He smiles and looks at her confused.

"What?"

"You've never wished on the first star????"

"Uh, no." She sits up.

"Okay, sit up and close your eyes." He sits up beside her, both of their eyes shut tightly. "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might to have this wish I wish tonight. Now you gotta make a wish." He racked his brain for something good to wish for. Her hand in his made him open his eyes. He watches her make her wish, her eyes squeezed shut and her nose crinkled. She opens her eyes and looks at him. "Make your wish?" He smiles and leans forward, putting a hand on her cheek. He guides her lips to his and kisses her passionately. After a minute he pulls away, leaning his head against hers.

"I don't want anything else." She kisses him hard, wrapping her arms around his neck. She climbs onto his lap, straddling him. For a long time they just kiss, enjoying the closeness they shared. She pulls away slowly, looking into his eyes.

"We're so stupid for doing this." She kisses him again softly. 

"So stupid...but I don't care right now." She smiles at him.

"Good. Neither do I." She holds onto him tightly, her heart pounding. _**Why did I let myself fall for this Scottish baker? God, I'm such an idiot...but I don't care right now.**_


	9. June 16, 2020

Jacinda sighs and turns off her alarm. She looks at her phone, seeing the picture she has as her background. It's her and Bobby at the arcade, her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. He's sticking his tongue out, winking at the camera. She smiles and sits up, looking at Hazel.

"Do you think he's awake yet? He does wake up early to help Arjun in the kitchen....maybe I should go do a inspection of the kitchen...." Hazel wags her tail, raising her head up. After quickly showering and getting dressed they head out to the camp grounds. She walks inside the kitchen to see Arjun prepping with the rest of the kitchen crew. He looks up and smiles at her.

"Hey, Jace. What are you doing in here so early?" She shrugs.

"Just thought I'd see how you were doing. Do a small inspection to make sure everything is working." He raises an eyebrow.

"He's not here yet. He comes in in about..." He looks at his watch. "Thirty minutes." She blushes.

"I have other people I like to see you know. Is everything going okay in here? Is there anything you need from me?"

"Some more time to hang out wouldn't hurt. But kitchen wise we're good." He smiles at her. "So are you gonna tell me about you two?"

"There's not much to tell. We haven't done anything spicy...I'm not sure I want to."

"Uh, why? You have seen him right? You saw his body? And tattoos? Don't even get me started on his eyes." She smiles.

"I have seen all of that. We've gotten to know each other pretty well."

"So then why not? Why are you hesitating?"

"Because he leaves in August. He's going back home to England...it's stupid to get so attached before he leaves."

"Look, Jace. You have a rare opportunity. There's a really hot guy who's interested in you, he loves being around you and talking to you. He thinks you're gorgeous and he's a great guy. You get to be with him for two months. That's two glorious months of blissful happiness with no serious commitment. Are you trying to settle down with him right now?"

"Well, no. It would be a while before then."

"Then take advantage of the time you do have together. If you aren't going to try and be serious and make this a real thing then what's the harm of sleeping together and enjoying each other's company. Besides, neither of you need a relationship right now. Just a companion. Not a fuck buddy, you need more than just sex. You both need to have your faith restored in the opposite sex because you both have recently gotten burned. Which let me know if you ever want to hear about Noah."

"Uh, what about Noah?"

"He doesn't like you and Bobby being so close, he's pretty jealous. And he really hates himself for cheating on you. He thinks he pushed you into Bobby's arms and really _really_ doesn't like Bobby. I think he really does have real feelings for you, he just has commitment issues. Maybe it's an ego issue, not sure exactly what but I do know he really does care about you. Not sure I would say love but definitely like a whole lot." She sighs.

"If he likes me so much then why wasn't I enough?"

"Like I said, I don't have that answer. It by no means excuses anything whatever the reason is. He's really the only one who could answer that." She rubs her face.

"My God, what has my life become? What did I get myself into?"

"You have two gorgeous men who want your attention, you poor thing. My boyfriend dumps me out of no where and I'm left in the dark with absolutely nothing to go on. I'm going home to an empty apartment and no one to cuddle with while you have two men wanting you to just smile at them." She frowns.

"Smile?" He leans on the counter and smiles.

"Hun, they _both_ go on and on about how they love your smile, your eyes, your laugh. Noah talks about how gorgeous you are and how funny you are. Bobby talks about how smart and fun you are...they've got it bad for you, you just need to take your pick. If they'd be up for it I say go for both but I doubt they'd be down to share you." She blushes. "I didn't mean quite like that but hey, that works too." She laughs.

"God, Arjun. Have you ever considered what you were saying before you say it?"

"Uh, no. Filters are boring." 

"You definitely know how to liven things up. You make life interesting." She stands up straighter. "But I do actually need to go get started on some paperwork. Make sure you get me the final plans for the Family Day dinner by today. They'll be here Saturday first thing and I want everything perfect." He smiles.

"You know you can always count on me, Jace. I'll bring it to you in a bit."

"Yay. See you later, hun." 

********

She sighs as she rubs her eyes. 

"Where the hell are my glasses, these contacts are killing me." She digs around in her drawers before finally finding them, replacing her contacts. As she starts searching through the papers again a knock on the door interrupts her. "Come in." She doesn't look up as she hears the door open. 

"Hey, lass. Arjun said you'd be in here." He sits down in front of her, holding his arms up as Hazel tries to climb into his lap. "You're not a lap dog." He smiles and scratches her chest. Jacinda smiles at them, shaking her head before going back to her papers.

"Yeah, I've got a lot of stuff to finish up before Family Day. Is your family coming?"

"Probably not. My granny doesn't travel much and she's really all I got these days. Are your parents coming?"

"They're gonna try, my mom tends to get worn out easily these days. Oh! That reminds me though, Robbie comes back tomorrow. He _was_ doing okay...but then his dad went on another binge. He hasn't seen him since the funeral, but according to his grandma it's not good." Bobby sighs.

"Poor lad. He can't seem to catch a break."

"True...but he's really excited to be back here with you." He chuckles.

"It's been weird not having him around. I miss him too."

"Izzie has been keeping you busy though."

"Only cause you're locked in here all the time."

"Hey, this paperwork isn't gonna do itself."

"But you should still take a break every once in while." She smiles and looks at him for a moment, mid signature. _**Maybe Arjun is right...**_ She bites her lip, resting her elbows on the desk. 

"What did you have in mind?" He raises his eyebrows.

"Uh, dinnae ken. I just thought we'd figure it out once we get out there like we always do....what did you have in mind?" She stands up, walking around the desk, leaning against the front of it. 

"I don't know....but I do know that I haven't gotten a kiss from you yet." He smiles and stands up, pulling her to him decisively and kissing her softly. She wraps her arms around his neck, leaning into him. She bites his lip gently, her hands in his hair. She wraps her leg around his waist and pushes their bodies closer.

"Damn, lass. It's like that?" She kisses his neck.

"Mhmm. What are you gonna do about it?" He kisses her hard, picking her up onto the desk. His hands gently run across her hips, moving her shirt up slightly. She reaches between them, rubbing him outside of his pants. He moves to her neck, kissing and nibbling the whole way. She bites her lip and unzips his shorts. 

"If you're not careful I'll bend you over this desk." She blushes and looks into his eyes as she reaches inside his shorts. He kisses her lustfully, running his hand under her shirt. She moans softly as he gently gropes her breast. He unbuttons her shorts, pulling her off the desk. He pulls her shorts down and picks her up again.

"Damn, you meant it." He kisses her again, his grip on her hips tightening.

"I always mean it." He reaches between her legs, rubbing her outside of her panties. She sighs softly, arching her back. He reaches inside her panties, sliding his fingers inside of her with ease. She gasps.

"Goddamn." His other hand tangles in her hair, he kisses down her neck biting her gently. He moves faster in her, moving his kisses back up her neck. "Bobby, fuck me." She pulls his shorts down part of the way, he moves her panties to the side. He looks into her eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She bites her lip and nods. He kisses her softly as he gently thrusts inside her, making them both moan against their kiss. "Fuck, lass." She whimpers lightly. He holds her leg up, moving in her slowly. One of her arms steadies her on the desk, the other one holding onto his shirt. 

"Oh, fuck." He holds onto her hips tightly, thrusting harder. She bites her lip, trying not to be too loud. His arm wrapped around her waist, the other on the desk. She clings to him, her head in the crook of his neck. She kisses his neck, moving the collar of his shirt and biting the newly bare skin. He moans softly.

"Fuck, Jace." He moves faster, making her moan louder against his shoulder. They get lost in each other. Every sound they made, every kiss they shared, every gentle bite drew them closer together. Her head told her to stop, it was getting to affectionate, but she couldn't. 

"Bobby, I'm close." He kisses her hard, matching his movements. Her nails dig into his back on the outside of his shirt. She arches her back, her breathing quickening. "Fuck, I'm gonna come." She bites his shoulder hard, trying to cover up the loud moan she lets out as she comes. He waits until she finishes before pulling out.

"Turn around." She bites her lip and turns around, leaning over the desk. He lifts her leg and thrusts into her hard, keeping up the quick, rough pace. He moves her hair off her neck, putting it over her shoulder. He kisses behind her ear softly, sending goosebumps across her skin. "Fuck, lass." She covers her mouth, trying to muffle her cries of pleasure. He pushes her down gently, her chest on top of the desk, thrusting harder. Her muffled whimpers driving him crazy. "I'm gonna come, Jace." With a final thrust he comes, letting her hip and leg go. For a minute they don't move, trying to catch their breath. When they pull apart she turns around and looks into his eyes, blushing. He kisses her softly. 

"So you actually meant it when you said you'd bend me over the desk..."

"Is that okay?" She smiles and nods.

"Yeah, I liked it. It was hot." Just as they finish fixing their clothes they hear a knock on the door, making them both freeze. "Just a minute!" She straightens out her clothes and runs her fingers through her long blonde hair. She lets out a sigh, whispering to him. "You should probably go. No one ever really comes here unless it's important." He nods and gives her a soft smile.

"Okay." He turns to go before she pulls him back to her.

"Uh, forgetting something?" His smile widens as he leans down and kisses her one last time before leaving. She runs behind the desk and sits down. As he opens the door she sighs, looking down at her papers. "Make sure you get back to me about that by the end of the day, Bobby."

"Yup, I'll let you know, Jace." They look up and see Noah. He stares between them a minute before Bobby smiles. "Hey, mate. Sorry, we were trying to decide on what I should make for Family Day." Noah gives him a small nod before Bobby walks by. He comes in and shuts the door, sitting down.

"Jace...can I ask you something?" She stops and looks up at him.

"It depends what. If it's about anything besides your campers then probably not."

"Well, I have a few questions actually. Is Robbie still coming back tomorrow?"

"Yes, his grandparents are dropping him off tomorrow morning."

"Is he going back to normal activities?"

"I think we should slowly start encouraging him to continue as normal, not dwell too much on the events." He rubs his neck.

"Are you and Bobby a thing?" She looks at him, taken aback by the sudden change of subject. 

"Noah, my personal life isn't your concern anymore. My personal life isn't about your campers."

"It kind of is though. Bobby is Robbie's mentor, meaning it could effect Robbie."

"How would that even work? Besides, what I do outside of camp hours is none of your business."

"So right now is outside of camp hours?"

"Noah. Stop."

"No, we've been broken up what a week and you've already moved on. It's like our relationship didn't mean anything to you."

"As if you're one to talk. While we were still together you were sleeping with another woman. I didn't cheat on you, you cheated on me. You proved you could care less about our relationship."

"I was the devoted one."

"Then why did you sleep with Hope?"

"I don't know, Jacinda."

"Don't give me that shit. Why wasn't I enough?"

"You were!"

"Then why cheat on me?"

"Because you were enough for me but I wasn't enough for you. I love you and you don't love me. I want a future with you but you don't want it with me."

"So it was an ego thing?"

"I mean sort of but not really. It was more of a intimacy thing. I gave you everything and got nothing back. It was like we hadn't been dating for four months, you kept shutting me out."

"Because I had a gut feeling I needed to. And I was right."

"I only slept with her once, we talked for a couple weeks before hand."

"When did you sleep with her?" He pauses, looking down. "When, Noah?"

"When you came here a week before it opened." She shakes her head.

"Wow...."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why couldn't you just let me in? Don't tell me it was a gut feeling. This Hope thing was still new...she didn't happen until you said you didn't want me to tell you I loved you. Why didn't you let me in before that?" She looks at him a long time.

"I don't know. I questioned myself the whole time why I couldn't. You were so...perfect. I liked everything about you, I wanted to. I'm just not sure why."

"Jace...I'm sorry. I don't deserve your forgiveness but I hope I do get it. I know I messed up the best thing that's ever happened to me...but I hope one day I can get it back. I'll do anything to prove to you how much you mean to me. To earn your trust back. Not being with you...it feels like I lost a part of me. There's no one like you and I love that about you...I love you. Just name it and I'll do it just to get a shot of being with you again." She looked into his eyes, seeing the raw emotions he confessed to her. **_He means it...rather he actually does it or not he means it..._**

"I need some time alone to finish this paperwork."

"Can you at least think about it? Please?" She looks at him for a long time before he gets up. "I'll take that as a maybe you'll think about it, but I won't hold out much hope." He leaves her office, but not her thoughts. She sighs.

"I need mom." She picks up the phone with a shaky hand. "Hey Mama. I'm doing okay...I just needed to talk to you about something...."

********

Bobby sits with Chelsea as Henrik and Rahim do a push up competition. She nudges his shoulder.

"What's that smile for?" He shakes his head.

"Nothing. Just thinking."

"About Jace?" 

"Maybe." 

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything." 

"What is this with you two? Not for my sake, for hers. She doesn't let many people in and when she does she cares for them with every fiber of her being. She cherishes the people she lets in her life, which I adore. But if you're just trying to do some fling...I don't want her to get hurt. You still have to leave in August." He looks down at his hands.

"I don't know what to call it, but I don't think it's a fling. I tried to stay away but the harder I fought it the harder it got. I'm not sure what this is or what we'll do when it's time for me to go home...but I just hope it's not the end." She smiles.

"That's a good enough answer for now. We can put a pin it and come back to it when it gets closer." He chuckles.

"Sounds good, Chels." They look back at Henrik and Rahim, both still going strong. "Who do you think will win?"

"Honestly, I don't know. It seems to be a pretty even match so far. Rahim works out constantly and has muscles for days but Henrik climbs rocks for a living so he's got a ton of upper body strength." 

"That's exactly what I was thinking. Now between you and Lottie, who do you think would win at a push up contest?" She laughs.

"Not sure there either. Neither of us really work out." 

"I expect to see that competition before Gary and I leave." 

"Speaking of Gary...I think he likes Lottie."

"Uh, what???" She giggles.

"Have you seen his face every time he sees Kassam and Lottie together? He's so jealous!"

"He literally can't stand her. He barely talks to her."

"I'm wondering if that's cause he has a crush on her. Like when you were a little kid in school and you'd pull a girls hair if you thought she was cute."

"Looks like I have some digging to do. But I gotta head to the kitchen right now. See you, Chels. Later lads!"

********

Arjun smiles when he sees Bobby.

"Hey! Thought it was about time for you to get here."

"I was here like two hours ago." 

"True....but it's been hard to pin point you lately." 

"Sorry, I'll get better at that. Promise." He gets to work helping Arjun prepare lunch.

"So, did you find Jace?"

"Aye, she was in her office." 

"Thought she might be. She only ever gets out for camp activities and lunch unless you drag her out." 

"I know, I'm just trying to keep her from going in over her head." 

"And what about you? I know you've been having a hard time lately." He shrugs.

"Kinda indifferent right now. It sort of comes and goes I guess." 

"Have you talked to Ms. Martinez? She's really good and makes it her goal to make you feel completely comfortable."

"Nah. I don't think I'm ready for that yet."

"Did you talk to someone before about it?"

"No one except my best mate."

"Why not call him up?"

"We aren't really mates anymore. We let a girl get between us and I don't think the friendship can be fixed."

"Have you tried?"

"Well no."

"How would you know it can't be fixed if you don't try?" Bobby thinks a moment.

"I doubt he'd even talk to me right now."

"If he was your best friend I think he would at least hear you out." 

"Moving on, is your family coming to Family Day? Jace said even the employees ask their families to come." He pauses, looking in front of him.

"No. No one to invite." Bobby looks at him.

"No one?"

"No...we haven't spoken in quite a while. But it's okay, my family is here." He smiles at Bobby and gets back to work. "I don't need bloodline when I have a family that's always got my back, I can actually say I have no regrets."

"When was the last time you talked to them?"

"It's been a few years. Why?"

"Maybe they changed their mind. Maybe they miss you."

"I doubt it."

"How will you know if you don't try?"

"Don't turn this around on me. I see what you're doing, you ain't slick." Bobby smiles.

"I'm not trying to turn it around on you, I just hate hearing people not having family. I'd be lost without my granny. She's everything to me."

"Yeah, my parents weren't like that I guess. We disagreed on too much."

"Okay, I'll make you a deal. I'll talk to Miles if you talk to your family, anyone from your family. It doesn't have to be your parents, just someone." Arjun looks at him carefully.

"Fine, you have a deal." Bobby smiles as he turns back around to finish the food prep. His thoughts starting to wander to what he would say to Miles. _**I haven't talked to him in almost a year. What would I even say?? Would he even want to talk to me? Would he even hear what I had to say?**_


	10. June 17, 2020

Bobby walks beside Gary on their way to his cabin. 

"Why does everyone keep asking about her? Can we please have some privacy? I don't even know what we are or what she wants." Gary rolls his eyes.

"You won't find out if you don't ask her, mate. You have to talk to her about it." Bobby shakes his head.

"Not yet, it's too soon."

"How is it too soon? Didn't you sleep with each other yesterday?" He blushes and clears his throat.

"Maybe...." Gary smiles and shakes his head. He looks at Bobby, his smile fading as he sees something behind Bobby. 

"Bruv...." Bobby turns and sees what he's looking at. Jacinda is standing on the side of one of the cabins, leaning against the wall. Noah stood in front of her smiling. He took her hand in his. Bobby quickly turns away, ignoring the sinking feeling in his chest.

"That answers that." He starts walking away, Gary chases after him.

"Mate, wait. Maybe it's not what it looked like."

"It doesn't matter, we never officially said we were exclusive or talked about her and Noah or any of that. I leave in August, her life is here. It doesn't matter. I shouldn't get involved with someone here anyway, it'll make leaving too hard." Gary grabs his arm.

"Bobby. Come on, I know you're in this whatever it is with her. You're all in."

"No I'm not, not anymore."

"Are you at least gonna talk to her about it?"

"Why? To make it awkward again? She has history with Noah, it makes sense that she'd choose him."

"A fucked up history. That's hardly an advantage to not knowing someone well." Bobby shakes his head.

"Look, I've got to go. I'm meeting up with Robbie soon, I'll talk to you later." He goes inside without another look behind him. He plops down on his bed, groaning. "What the fuck, Bobby? Why did you do this?" _**Mom would know what to say right now. If she was here at least. Great now I'm thinking about that again. Can I ever just be happy? Can the world not fall apart just once? I came here for a break from my fucked up life back home only to walk straight into more fucked up shit. Gary's absolutely no help, he just wants me and Jace together. He's been trying for a year now. No one here would be helpful either, they've been trying to get us together since day one too. How did I manage to get to the point where I have no friends?**_ He sits up and looks at his phone. He looks through his contacts, finding a name and clicking on it. He stares at his phone before pressing call. 

"Hello?" He sighs.

"Hi."

"Bobby...uh, what's up?"

"Calling you back like I said I would."

"That was days ago."

"Shit kinda hit the fan here with one of the campers, I had to help sort some stuff out."

"Ohmygod, what happened? Are they okay?" He rubs his neck.

"His mum died of an overdose. I'm his closest friend so I had to be there for him."

"Oh, babe. Are you okay?"

"I will be. How have you been?"

"I've been better. But I actually have to go, I'm at work."

"Oh, right. Okay, well call me later?"

"Yeah, of course. It was really good to hear your voice again. I miss you."

"It was good to talk to you too, Allegra."

"I'll call a bit later."

"Okay, bye." He rubs his face and lays back on his bed. "Why do I feel like that was a massive mistake?"

********

Noah stands with Robbie, smiling as he talks to him. His smile falters when he sees Bobby approaching them. Robbie sees him and smiles at him.

"Bobby!"

"What's happening, pal?" He looks at Noah and nods. "Mate. We're just gonna go to the music hall a bit. He's gonna help out with the dessert for tonight too."

"Okay. Stay safe, Robbie. I'll catch up with you in a bit."

"Later, Noah." He leads Bobby away to find Lottie and Kassam. They found them in the music hall, Lottie was watching Kassam play the drums. They both smile at them when they see them. Kassam gets right to Robbie's lesson, Lottie sits next to Bobby as they play. She nudges him.

"He's getting pretty good."

"Aye. He convinced his grandma to buy him drums so he practiced while he was at home. I think he likes the drums better than dance." She shrugs.

"You can let out more anger in the drums than with dance. And by the way he's beating the hell out of those drums he feels pretty angry."

"His dad hasn't been around since the funeral. He's pissed. He went past sad to angry. His grandma said he's been acting more angry than anything. Yelling and throwing things at the wall and shit." Lottie sighs.

"Poor guy. He can't catch a break can he? First his mom dies and now his dad dips out. Good thing he's here and has you." He rests his chin on his hands.

"I should've known his dad was going to leave." Lottie gives him a confused look. "When we were leaving the wake he pulled me aside and thanked me for being in Robbie's life. He said I was the kind of mine Robbie needed to look up to, the kind of man he wanted to be. He said he slept better knowing Robbie had me. I could teach him how to not be like him. At first I just thought it was compliments...thinking back to it I think he was saying he wanted me to take on the roll of being the male figure in his life." 

"But you barely know him. How are you supposed to take his dad's place? And you live in England. You can't help him all the way there."

"I know. I'm not exactly ready for that type of responsibility. I love the kid and he can call me any time but he deserves someone who isn't thousands of miles away."

"What are you going to do?"

"Wait and see what him and his grandma say. If she wants me to be a part of his life like that she'll ask me. If not then she won't and I'll drop it."

"What if she says she does?"

"Dinnae ken." They look back at Robbie and Kassam. Bobby's heart twist when he looks at Robbie. _**This poor kid is living my childhood....minus the camp thing. His mum overdosed and his dad left him. I've gotta make sure he gets through this....what would I say if they did ask me to be a father figure to him? How would I even do that?? Damn shit just got real complicated.**_

********

He sits beside Robbie at the camp fire, laughing at a joke he learned. 

"That was actually a pretty good one." Izzie runs up to them.

"Hey, Rob. Wanna come sit with us?" Robbie shrugs.

"Okay. Bye, Bobby."

"Later, pal." Lottie sits down next to him.

"How's our Scotsman doing tonight?" He shrugs.

"I'm doing okay." She frowns.

"Just okay? I thought you'd be on top of the world. I mean Robbie's back, you and Jace are-"

"That's not happening. It didn't mean anything."

"Wait what? What do you mean?" His phone starts ringing, letting out a sigh of relief he fishes it out of his pocket. Lottie reads the screen and glares at him. "Allegra???? Why are you talking to her?"

"Look, Lottie. Drop it. I know you lot have always been in each others business but where I'm from it's rude. So just stop." He answers the phone as he gets up. "Hey." Lottie watches him walk away from the group, he smiles at something. She scoffs and rolls her eyes. Kassam sits next to her.

"Hey, what's up? You look upset." 

"I thought Jace and Bobby were good but apparently not. He just told me it wasn't anything and then answered a phone call from Allegra."

"Allegra? I thought they broke up."

"So did I. Maybe they got back together, I don't know. But I do know this is gonna hurt Jace. She couldn't stop talking about him this morning. She was under the impression they were exclusive or something."

"Have you talked to her since this morning? Maybe somethings happened since then."

"I mean, maybe. I hope not, I hope he's just being moody and not taking that bitch back. If he did then-"

"Then we'll still be his friends and support him." She frowns at him. "We may not like his choices but they're his choices. He knows how we feel about her but what matters is how he feels about her. If they get back together then as his friends we need to support him." She leans her head against his shoulder.

"I hate when you're right." 

"Me too if I'm honest." 

********

"So are you and Miles...."

"Back together? No. It was a huge mistake. He's not who I want. I want you...do you still want me?" He chews on his lip and looks at Jace talking to Henrik, laughing about something. 

"Dinnae ken, Allie." 

"Is it because of what I did or someone else? Did you meet someone? Is that why you haven't been talking to me?" 

"Allegra don't start that. That always ends in a fight and I'm tired of fighting." She sighs.

"You're right, I'm sorry. But I really do wanna know if you're hesitant because of me." 

"Well yeah. Can you blame me? You cheated in me with my best friend."

"I thought you two weren't friends anymore."

"That's not the point. The point being you cheated on me...again. I keep forgiving you and moving past it and you keep doing it. How many times am I supposed to just let it go?"

"But do you love me? Love can get through anything and I...I love you." Jacinda sees him on the phone and smiles and waves at him. _**Why is she acting like she didn't just have Noah all over her? Is it because she thinks I don't know? Why do all the girls I choose do this? What am I doing wrong? You know what. No.**_

"Actually....no. I don't love you. I'm sorry I wasted your time. But I don't think you love me. When you love someone you make them your world, not like a second prize. I forgive you and I would like to be friends but I don't think we should get back together."

"If you don't then why did you call me earlier?" He turns around, his back to the fire.

"Dinnae ken. But I'm sorry I wasted your time. I hope you find your happiness." He hangs up and looks at his phone. 

"Hey, man. You alright?" He turns and sees Ibrahim walking over. He forces a smile.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just had to take a phone call."

"From?"

"I think you know who." 

"Did it go good?" He thinks a minute.

"Yeah, it did. But listen, I'm pretty tired so I'm actually gonna go to bed. I'll talk to you lot tomorrow."

"Okay. Well goodnight. Text me if you need anything." He smiles at him.

"Thanks, Rahim."

********

She climbs up the tree in the front yard, climbing higher and higher. She reaches the top and looks over at the rooftops of the nearby houses. 

"Jacey, I can't climb that high."

"Yes, you can. Here, put your foot there, And then the other one there. Pull up here, there you go. Now look over there." He looks over and smiles.

"Woah, you can see everyone's flat."

"Jacinda Matthews, Gary Rennell! What're you two doing up there??" They look down and see Gary's mom staring at them. Jacinda smiles.

"We wanted to be taller than the houses!" She shakes her head, letting a smile slip.

"Well, come down. It's almost time for lunch." They climb down and plop onto the ground. Jacinda notices a boy walking a few houses down. 

"Gare Bear, who's that?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen him before. Mum can we go say hi?"

"Sure, I'll keep an eye on you two. Come inside in a few minutes." They run over to the boy. He had short black hair and pretty amber eyes. 

"Hey. I'm Jace and this is Gary. What's your name?"

"Bobby."

"Do you live around here?"

"No, I'm visiting my Auntie Jane."

"I am too! Wanna come play with us?? We can wait for you to ask someone. He has a treehouse and all kinds of games and stuff. We can play hide-and-seek, tag, cops and robbers." Bobby smiles at her.

"Okay." 

********

She wakes up when a cold nose nudges her cheek. She frowns at Hazel.

"I was having a good dream...memory? Dream memory? Deja Vu?" She looks at the time and groans. "Hazel, it's 2 am. You really need to stop with this middle of the night potty breaks." She sighs and gets up, putting on her slippers. She opens the door and Hazel takes off. "Jesus Christ, Hazel." She groans as she follows her along the path around the lake. Her mind drifts to the last time she went to the lake in the middle of the night. She looks over at the dock and sees nothing, her heart deflating. She follows Hazel all over the camp grounds and by the lake. On their way back past the cabins she sees him sitting outside his cabin. She tries to control her heart thumping like a drum. Hazel sees him and runs over, licking his face and making him laugh. He looks up and sees her.

"Fancy meeting you here." She shrugs.

"Hazel woke me up for another late night stroll. Now seeing this though I think she just wanted to see you." He nods but doesn't say anything. "What's wrong?" He looks up.

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just can't sleep." She walks up to him, he avoids her eyes. She gently coaxes his face up to look into his eyes.

"You're lying. What's wrong?" He looks at her for a long time.

"I just...need to clear my head..."

"About what?"

"I'm in a place where I'm not sure if I can handle being a just for fun type thing. I mean usually I'd love it...but right now...I don't think it's a good idea." She looks at him confused.

"What? What do you mean?" 

"I mean that maybe we need to stop this before we're in too deep. It's just...not a good idea. I can't do this again." Hurt flashes in her eyes, she looks down. 

"So you don't...want to see me as more than a friend?"

"Probably a boss would be better. We tried being friends and we ended up having sex..."

"You don't want to be friends either?" He sighs and rubs his neck.

"I'm really sorry, Jace. I...I wish I could but I'm not in the right headspace for this right now." She nods slowly, the lump in her throat not letting her talk. "Jace?" She could see him looking at her out of the side of her eyes. 

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay?" She forces a smile and nods, her throat not willing to form words. He stands up and takes a step forward, making her take a step back. She clears her throat and swallows as much of the lump as she could.

"Come, Hazel. It's bed time." She walks away with Hazel hesitantly following her. She discreetly wipes the hot tears from her face. "I'm so stupid." Silent tears soak her pillow, her mind blank, her chest hurting. Hazel laid curled up into her chest, fast asleep. 

********

He watches her walk away, his chest hurting seeing her face. He sighs and walks into his cabin again. He sits on his bed for a long time, trying to talk himself out of his feelings. He groans and picks up his phone, looking at the time. He dials a number and hesitates before pressing call. 

"Hello?"

"Hey. It's, uh-"

"Bobby?"

"Aye." The line is quiet for a minute.

"Why are you calling me?"

"Cause you're the only one who really knows me and I think I need you right now."

"What's wrong? Are you alright? What happened? Is it Allegra?"

"No, not really. On all those questions."

"What's going on, mate?" He sighs.

"I assume she told you I came to America with a mate of mine to work at a summer camp."

"Aye."

"This hasn't been like any summer camp I've heard of. Maybe it's just cause I'm an adult now."

"Did something happen?"

"What didn't happen is a better question. I've been having a hard time lately. There's this kid...his mum died of an overdose last week And his dad took off after the funeral and hasn't been heard from since."

"Oh shit."

"Yeah, it's been tough. The first couple days were pretty dark for both of us. It's been a roller coaster for me since then."

"Have you told anyone about your mum?"

"Aye. The woman in charge of this camp, her name is Jacinda."

"So your boss? I mean that's good, right? That means if she sees you having a hard time she'll understand." He sighs.

"Not really. I mean yeah she would, she has been. She's great...amazing even."

"Quick question, how old is she?" Bobby smiles.

"24, same age as us."

"Okay so it's not like some weird old lady fetish." Bobby laughs.

"Hell no."

"So...what's up with her then?"

"She's been really great since I told her about all this stuff with my mum. She's so sweet and caring. She's smart and strong. She's fucking gorgeous too. I've never seen anyone that looks as gorgeous as her. She pours her entire soul into this camp, it's her life. And she loves it, she does it because she wants to."

"She sounds incredible. But why do you sound upset talking about her?"

"When I first got here she was with this lad, Noah. And then he cheated on her and she found out and broke up with him. And then shit hit the fan with Allegra and we just kind of got drawn to each other. It's just...with her...I don't feel so alone. We slept together and I thought maybe this was becoming something. She was always holding my hand and all over me and stuff. Not in front of the campers but otherwise. And then today...I saw her talking to her ex and he was definitely grafting on her."

"What did she do?"

"Didn't pull away. I left before I saw anymore."

"Have you asked her about it?"

"No...I don't want to know the answer. I just ran into her though...and I told her I didn't have the headspace for whatever we were."

"Why the fuck would you do that? You sound like you're crazy about her and you just broke it off with her. Was she upset?"

"Pretty sure I saw her wiping tears away as she walked back to her flat."

"Why the fuck would you do that?"

"Cause I'm tired of being used as the thing to waste time until who they really want comes back. I'm tired of being second best, I don't want to be second choice. I want to be someone's first choice. I don't want to compete...I'm tired of fighting just for a second glance. I want to be someone's whole world. And make them mine."

"Woah, mate. It's only been a year but who the hell are you? The Bobby I knew wasn't ready for any of that."

"I mean I don't want it right this second, but I am tired of being second choice." He's quiet a long time.

"I'm sorry...I didn't know you two were still together...she told me you two broke up." He scratches his head.

"Say what?"

"She said you two broke up...if I knew I wouldn't have done it. I didn't intentionally do it any of the other times either. I swear I wouldn't do that to you, you know I don't like being the side dick." He smiles.

"Side dick?"

"Yeah, like side chick but we're guys so side dick."

"Right...well I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have gotten with her in the first place."

"I shouldn't have acted the way I did. I told her I didn't want to be with her anymore. I broke it off for good."

"You did?"

"Aye, I don't like being played either." 

"So can we be mates again then?"

"Duh, I didn't throw a shoe at you for nothing." Bobby laughs, his aching chest feeling a little lighter. "So tell me more about this camp."

"I like it here, a lot. My mate is Jace's cousin, Gary. He's my flatmate. He's cool, you'd like him. But I met a lot of cool people. Lottie, Kassam, Arjun, Rahim, Chelsea, Henrik. They're actually having family day this weekend, on Saturday."

"Where even are you?"

"Hutto, Texas. It's the outskirts of Austin which is the capital of Texas."

"Any other cute girls?"

"There's Chelsea. She seems to like Scotsmen, she was grafting hard when we first met. Then she saw I only wanted Jace." 

"So I'll see you Saturday and I'll make sure to wear a kilt for her." He laughs again.

"You're so stupid."

"Is Granny going to see you?"

"Probably not, traveling is hard for her." 

"I'm sorry, mate. Do you still talk to her?"

"Aye, all the time. Usually first thing when I wake up...which is actually in like three hours."

"What time is it there?"

"About 3 am."

"Why the fuck are you awake???"

"I couldn't sleep."

"Wait. So that means you told this girl in the middle of the night you didn't want to see her anymore?"

"I mean....yeah."

"God you're stupid."

"Probably but like I said, I'm done being the second choice. But on that note I do actually need to try and get some sleep."

"Probably a good idea, mate."

"I'll talk to you later?"

"Yeah, definitely. Hey Bobby."

"Aye?"

"I'm glad you called."

"I am too. Night, mate."

"Night." He hangs up, laying down with his heart a little lighter. _**She was right...she's always right. She'll be so happy to hear we're mates again...well I guess not now. Fuck why did I let it get like this?**_


	11. June 18, 2020

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the read, loves. Kudos and comments appreciated. ❤

She shuts off her alarm when it goes off, not having slept anymore. She climbs out bed and throws her hair up in a messy bun, not even putting effort in her appearance. She sighs and leaves the house heading straight to her office. She skips breakfast, trying not to go anywhere in case she saw him. A knock on the door takes her by surprise.

"Who is it?"

"Gary."

"Come in." He comes in and sits down in front of her.

"Are you alright, you didn't come to breakfast."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just busy, it's almost Family Day."

"You look like you didn't sleep at all last night."

"I did a bit. Hazel kept me up."

"Jace...what's wrong?" She ponders for a minute, zoning out on the picture of Hazel on her desk.

"Bobby said he wanted to maintain a professional relationship with me. So whatever we were is over." He leans forward, a light frown present on his face.

"I thought that might happen."

"Uh, what now?"

"We saw you talking to Noah yesterday." _**Of course you fucking did. No wonder he said all that about coming in second.**_

"Goddamn it. What did he see?"

"Noah smile and take your hand and then he walked away. You wanna tell me what it was about?"

"He's been trying to get me to consider taking him back."

"Are you?"

"Probably not, I mean I can't trust him anymore...and I never had deep feelings for him. Like I was attached in a comfortable way but not like 'I love you' way. I just don't know how to say it to him. I don't like hurting people."

"You need to tell Bobby." She shakes her head.

"No. He said he doesn't want any of that then I won't make him. I'm not begging for attention from him anymore. It has to be on him this time."

"He's so much more stubborn though, he'll keep convincing himself this is right when it's not."

"Maybe it is. We only have this summer. No point in getting attached."

"Then make the most of the summer. Who knows, maybe it'll be what you both were looking for. I think it was, I know you both better than anyone." She glances down at the papers in front of her.

"I can't do this right now, Gary. I have to get ready for Family Day."

"Jacey...don't hide in this office. Rather you two work it out or not you can't hide in here forever."

"I won't. I'll be there for lunch, I promise."

"If you aren't there I'm hunting you down and carrying you to the mess hall."

"Mhmm. Bye Gary." He rolls his eyes and leaves her to her paperwork.

********

Lottie sees Bobby coming in for lunch and stands up, stalking over to him.

"Me and you, outside. Now."

"I'm not down to fight."

"It'll be a fight if you don't get your ass out there." He raises his eyebrows and goes back outside. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What?"

"Allegra? Jacinda? Everything!? Do you like fucking up your life?"

"No, I really don't. I swear I can't control it."

"You can and you should. Why did you break it off with Jace?"

"Cause I don't wanna be competition with Noah. I'm tired of being the second choice, the consolation prize."

"Noah? You're not second choice to Noah, you're first choice. If anything he's second choice but really he's not an option at all."

"That's not what it looked like yesterday."

"She doesn't know how to tell him there's no chance without hurting him. She doesn't want him." He leans against the the wall of the mess hall, running his hand through his hair. 

"It didn't look like it."

"What did she look like when you broke it off?" He shrugs. "Uh uh. Use your big boy words." He rolls his eyes.

"She looked hurt."

"Why do you think that is?"

"Dinnae ken."

"Nope, try again." He sighs in frustration.

"Dinnae ken, Lozza. I don't really know what she's thinking."

"She's thinking that she thought you two were great and out of no where you dump her."

"We weren't actually together."

"Maybe you didn't have a title but you pretty much were." He looks down at his feet. "Now what's with this Allegra thing?"

"There's nothing to tell. I called her and then decided she's not who I wanted. She told me everything she told me before when her and Miles broke up...I knew she didn't mean it. I told her I didn't want to be her second choice."

"So...you broke it off for good with her? You're really done with her?"

"Aye. I guess...I guess recently I've been thinking about what I really want in life. I've been thinking about who I really want in my life, who I want beside me. And it wasn't her." A smile slips in the corner of her mouth. "What?"

"I want to be mad you hurt my best friend but I get it now. You didn't want to be treated less than you deserve. You finally see you deserve better than that. I mean you had that with Jace, you just didn't know it. But you're starting to see how things should be."

"I guess you could say that."

"Now the real question is...do you want it to be over with Jace?"

"No...not really. I...miss her." She hooks her arm through his.

"Time to plan."

"For what?"

"How you're gonna tell her all this. It has to be done. I'm not playing relationship referee this whole summer." He shakes his head and lets her lead him away.

*******

Gary sits down at the table beside Jacinda.

"You talk to him yet?"

"Nope. I heard he talked to Allegra last night. He moved on, no point."

"He didn't get back with her."

"Rahim said he said it went good."

"Cause he told her he was done being second best. He wanted to be someone's first choice." She paused her fork of spaghetti half way to her mouth. She turns to him, brows furrowed. 

"What?"

"He told her he didn't love her. He said he knows she doesn't love him because when you love someone you make them your whole world. He didn't want to be second choice anymore." She looks down at her plate. **_He really told her that? He doesn't want her? What does he want? He doesn't want me or her so what does he want?_**

"He's not back with her?" 

"Nope. He thinks you're getting back with Noah though, he's pretty hurt by it." She groans and gets up. "Where are you going?"

"I need to think." She walks to the orchard, climbing one of the peach trees on the outskirts so she can see over at the camp. She draws pictures with her fingers on the branches, crumbles leaves, pulling a peach off and rolling it in her hand. 

"Lass?" She looks down and sees him standing there. "You alright?"

"How'd you know I was here?"

"Gary said you had to go think and I remember you saying you like to come here to think sometimes." 

"I forgot I said that bit. I thought you'd be with Robbie."

"He's been hanging out with Izzie more. He still comes and finds me a lot though." She nods slowly and looks down at the peach in her hands. He climbs up, sitting on a branch next to hers, facing her. "What's wrong?" 

"I mean I guess nothing is wrong but at the same time kind of is." 

"That makes literally no sense." She smiles.

"I guess not." She glances at him before looking away. "It's like this, you look at my life and it looks great and it is great. But to me, in my mind, it feels like it's not. In a second things can change and shift..." She meets his eyes. "Things change, people change, circumstances change. And it shifts your whole world. So looking from the outside nothing is wrong, looking from the inside it feels like everything is wrong." He looks out to the trees in the orchard, trying to figure out what to say. "So I heard you talked to Allegra..."

"Aye. I told her I didn't want to do it anymore."

"Oh? Why the change of heart?"

"Because of you." She freezes at his confession, looking up at him. "You've shown me what it should be like and it wasn't like that with her. We aren't meant to be. I'm done being second choice, I want to be someone's first choice for once." She bites her lip, letting his words soak in. "I guess you know by now I saw you and Noah talking. From what I saw it looked like...honestly it looked like you were giving him another chance." She shakes her head, her blonde curls bouncing lightly against her shoulders.

"He did ask me if I would at least think about thinking about maybe giving him another chance. I can't say I didn't think about it...only because I saw he meant what he said. I don't like hurting people or being why someone hurts. I also know that I don't actually want to be with him and it's wrong to lead someone on like that. He's not my one. Besides he can mean it all he wants but I can't trust him anymore. I may not have loved him but it hurt a lot. He betrayed me."

"I know exactly how that feels. Love or not you put your trust into someone, into your relationship. Betrayal hurts no matter what your relationship is." She nods slowly.

"So what does this mean then? For us?" He looks into her eyes, making her heart pound wildly in her chest. 

"I don't think we should have an official title or even get too attached. All I know is I like you and I don't like not talking to you. For now I want to keep getting to know you. Avoiding you is a lot of work." She giggles.

"Same here. I don't know what this is or even means. I don't know where we'll be by the end of summer and honestly I don't care. As long as I get to see you." He leans forward and kisses her softly. They hear whining and look down to see Hazel looking up at them pouting. Jacinda laughs. "You had him first but he's mine." Hazel puts her ears all the way down, making Bobby smile.

"Aww, don't be mean, Jace. Look at her." He climbs down and kneels down, scratching Hazel's ears. Jacinda gives them a half amused expression.

"You really just left me for my dog." She climbs down and stands next to them, crossing her arms. "That's rude, babe." He stands up and kisses her cheek.

"You're my number one...but she looked so sad." She rolls eyes.

"She's playing you, I promise. She knows how to use her puppy dog eyes." He laughs and puts his arm around her shoulders.

"As long as you aren't the one playing me, we're good." She tries to hide her smile as she puts her arm around his waist.

"We should go back though. Spend some time with the campers." 

********

Bobby sits beside Jace at the evening camp fire.

"I forgot to tell you, guess who I talked to last night."

"If you're gonna say Allegra I might actually punch you." He laughs.

"No, Miles." She sits up straighter.

"Wait, what? Seriously? How did it go??" He shrugs.

"We're good. He said he didn't know me and her were together and that he broke it off with her for good. Chatted a bit about...stuff." She arches an eyebrow and tilts her head.

"Oh? What stuff?"

"Uh, guy stuff." She rolls her eyes.

"You're impossible, I swear." Robbie and Izzie beside them. "Hey, y'all. What're you up to?" Izzie sighs.

"We need y'all to settle an argument." A bemused expression lands on Bobby's face, saying nothing.

"Of course, hun. What's going on?"

"He thinks white queso is better than yellow queso. I disagree, so what do y'all think?" Bobby frowns.

"I don't even know what that is." The three of them gasp and stare at him. Jace puts a hand on her chest.

"Uh, what?"

"I...don't know what....queso is?" She glances at Izzie.

"Sorry, Iz. I like white queso better but back to Bobby. What the fuck are you doing with your life? I mean what the frick are you doing with your life?" He smiles.

"Apparently nothing by that reaction." Another boy runs up to Robbie and Izzie.

"Hey, Sarah says you know magic tricks. Is that true?" Robbie nods.

"Yup, Bobby taught us." He looks at Bobby.

"You know magic tricks? Can you show us?" 

"Freaking yes. Let's do it." He walks over to where the other kids are, Robbie and Izzie on his heels. He sits down and starts doing simple tricks, Robbie and Izzie copying him. Jacinda watches from the side lines, a smile across her face. **_He's so good with them, look at how they watch him. How did he get so good with kids?_** Someone beside her clears their throat. She looks over, blushing when she sees him.

"Hi Noah." 

"Hey. Enjoying the show?" He nods in Bobby's direction.

"Actually, yes. He's really good at it. And he's amazing with the kids, they love him. I mean look at that, how does he manage to keep their attention so easily?" 

"So I take it you won't give me a second chance then?" She sighs.

"I want to because I think that you actually mean it. And that does mean something...but I don't think you'll be able to keep your word. At least not with me. I can't trust you and that's that. You betrayed me and it's gonna take a long time and whole lot of work to earn it back."

"I'm willing to do anything and everything. I'll go to therapy, give you my phone, check in as many times as you want, won't talk to any girls unless I absolutely have to, anything you want. I love you."

"That's not how it should be though. You shouldn't have to check in, I shouldn't have to go through your phone all the time, you shouldn't have to drop every single girl you talk to. In a relationship one person shouldn't have control like that over the other person. That's not a relationship, it sounds miserable. That's not what I want." He takes her hand and sighs.

"Okay. I'm sorry I messed up so badly. I apparently have some issues I need to work through...I should probably talk to someone about that." She smiles and pats his hand.

"You should...for you. I hope you find that someone some day." He smiles.

"I hope one day I'll be worthy enough for another chance." He kisses her cheek and gets up. "I'll see you tomorrow." She waves at him as he walks off. Chelsea plops down next to her.

"I totally heard all that." Jacinda laughs.

"Of course you did. Did I handle it well?"

"Oh, hun. You handled it very adult like."

"I hope so, I am one." She smiles at her.

"You're totally falling for him." She nods in Bobby's direction, making her blush. "Oh, you so are. Just the way you look at him...and the way he looks at you." 

"What?" Chelsea glances in Bobby's direction quickly, Jacinda looks over and sees him looking at her, affection in his eyes. He looks away, trying to hide his red cheeks. She laughs. "Oh, that's adorable. I love it."

"I think this could be it, Jace."

"You can't know that already."

"Yes I can and all I'm gonna say is I better be a bridesmaid." She laughs and hugs Chelsea.

"What would I do without my bra?" Chelsea giggles and hugs her back.

"Have a very unsupported chest." She glances back at Bobby, who looked at her again. He smiled when she met his eyes, making her insides melt. 

******** 

They hold hands as they walk to his cabin, Hazel trailing behind them. He pulls her to him and puts his arm around her, making the butterflies in her tummy take off. She leans into him, cuddling into his side. When they get to his cabin he turns and looks at her.

"I guess this is goodnight then." She pouts.

"I wish it didn't have to be." He kisses her softly.

"Me either. But we need to be up early tomorrow. We have to start prepping for Family Day." She stands on her tippy toes, wrapping her arms around his neck. She rubs her nose against his, making him laugh lightly. "You're cute." She bites her lip.

"Just cute?" She kisses him tenderly, gently biting his lip. Her hands go to his hair, her tongue lightly traces his lip. She bites him again, making him moan. His grip on her hips tightened.

"And incredibly sexy." She pushes her body into his, kissing him again. Her hands trail down his chest, dragging her nails slowly. She trails a hand down to his pants, lightly pulling on the front. "Remember what happened last time you did that." She smiles and slips her hand under his shirt.

"Maybe that's the point...." He bites his lip, forcing himself to stay in control. 

"You're such a tease." She whispers in his ear.

"Is it teasing if it actually happens?" She nibbles on his ear, sending goosebumps up his arms. "Are you gonna kiss me or keep standing there?" He smiles and kisses her again, the intensity slowly building. She pulls away and backs up towards the door to his cabin, gently tugging him to her. She stops, her back against the door. His hands on either side of her head against the door, he leans in close.

"You're killing me, lass. What are you doing to me?" She bites her lip, looking into his eyes.

"Not what I want to be doing to you...yet." She grabs the collar of his shirt, pulling him to her and kissing him roughly. He moans softly against their kiss. She pulls him to her by his belt loops. "What else am I gonna have to say to let you know I wanna fuck?" He picks her up, her legs around his waist.

"Nothing now." He takes her in and pushes her against the wall, kissing her hard. He moves to her neck, making her sigh softly. He puts her down and pulls her shirt over her head, looking over her lustfully. She wore a bright red lacy bra something sparkly shining on her stomach. "I didn't know you had a belly button ring. It wasn't there the other day."

"It's been pierced for years but I don't always wear one. I didn't the other day because I didn't want the kids to see...plus Gary told me I'm not allowed to wear them around him."

"Why?"

"Cause he got in quite a few fights when guys got to handsy when I used to wear it all the time." He smiles.

"I mean I'm having trouble not being handsy...but I have permission." She smiles and nods.

"You have permission to do whatever you want with me." She pulls his shirt off, running her hands across his chest tattoo, down to his abs. "Damn, you're sexy." He kisses her softer this time, feeling the heat of her body against his. He unbuttons her shorts and slides them past her hips, them falling to the floor around her ankles. He grabs her ass, making her moan as she pushes her body into his. She unbuttons his shorts and pulls them down, blushing lightly at the sight of him in his boxers. "I feel a little nervous." 

"We can stop whenever you want to." She shakes her head.

"I don't want to stop...just a bit nervous." He kisses her gently on the lips.

"I can slow down." She shakes her head and kisses him hard. She kicks off her shorts and shoes. A knock on the door makes them freeze. "Who is it?" 

"Gary. Are you busy? I need to talk to you." He motions for Jace to be quiet, opening the door part of the way. His bottom half hidden behind the door.

"Is everything okay? I'm kind of in the middle of something." Gary looks at him a minute.

"I think I like Lottie." Jacinda gasps and goes to say something, Bobby stops her by putting his hand over her mouth. He coughed to try and cover up the noises she was making. Gary arches an eyebrow at him.

"Anyway, I thought you hated her. When I asked you were very insistent that you hated her."

"I thought that but it honestly drives me crazy when I see her with Kassam." Jacinda trails a nail down his side that was hidden, giving him goosebumps.

"Really? What exactly brought it on? I thought you liked Kassam..." She runs her hand down his body, slowly rubbing him outside of his boxers. He grabs her hand to stop her. Gary smiles. 

"You know I think I forgot something I need to go do. So I'm gonna let you go. You seem distracted." Bobby clears his throat.

"Uh, yeah. Sure. I'll find you in a bit."

"Mhmm. Oh, Jace. Your mum called me and told me she couldn't get a hold of you. She said to call her when you get the chance. She wants to talk about Saturday." Jacinda blushes, shouting from behind the door.

"Um...okay. Thanks." Bobby tries to hold back a laugh, only half succeeding.

"Anyway...have fun you two." He walks off shaking his head. Bobby shuts the door and looks at her.

"You're such a tease." She bites her lip and pulls him to her, pushing her body into his as she kisses him. He lifts her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. He pins her against the door, kissing her passionately. She moans softly at the friction he was causing between them. He moves to her neck, gently biting her. He carries her to his bed, laying her down softly. He looks at her, taken aback by how beautiful she looked. Her golden blonde curls splayed around her, her deep hazel eyes looking into his, her bright red lacy bra against her pale skin.

"Like what you see?" He smiles, giving her a gentle peck.

"Aye. A lot." She giggles and wraps her arms around his neck.

"Then show me." He trails kisses down her jaw, down her neck, in between her breast, down her tummy. He pulls her matching panties off gently, kissing down her thighs slowly. She lets out a soft sigh when he starts softly licking and sucking her center. She arches her back, moaning when he slides his fingers in her. "Fuck, Bobby." He tries different things until he finds what she liked best. Her moans getting louder, biting her lip to try and stifle them. "I'm gonna come." She lifts her hips as she comes, her grip on the blanket tightened. He lays beside her on the bed as she catches her breath. She turns and looks at him. "Goddamn. You're full of surprises." He smiles at her.

"Gotta keep you on your toes somehow." She pulls a leg over his hip, kissing his neck as she runs a hand down his back softly. 

"Keep that up and you'll keep me on my back." He rolls her onto her back, pinning her hands above her head and kissing her hard.

"If that's what you want, lass." He grinds against her, her breath quickening. He coaxes her to sit up, refusing to break their kiss as he undoes her bra and slips it off her. He holds her close to him, the heat from her body radiating against him. She takes his boxers off, rolling a condom on him. He lays her down again, positioning between her legs. He holds one of her legs back, slowly entering her, making both of them moan. He grips the sheets beside her. "Fuck, Jace." He takes his time with her, relishing the moments they shared. She bites his lip.

"Switch." She gets on top of him, her hands on his chest for balance. She meets his eyes, the feeling in her chest expanding. She leans down slowly and kisses him. His hand cups her face, the other resting on her hip. She gets lost in the kiss, the rest of the world melting away. She moves faster, her nails digging into him. Their kisses, their movements becoming urgent and lustful. They cling to each other, kissing and biting. He holds onto her hips, thrusting each time she moved. He tangled his hand into her hair, biting her lip. She moans loudly. "Fuck, I'm gonna come." 

"Switch." She holds onto him as he turns them around. He pins her thighs back, moving rougher than before. She covers her mouth in an attempt to be quieter. He rubs her as he thrusts in her, making her arch her back. She bites her lip hard, holding onto the edges of the pillow. She moans loudly as she reaches climax. He kisses her, she bites his lip, scratching his back. "Fuck, Jace. I'm close." She bites his shoulder and digs her nails into him hard, pushing him over the edge. For a minute they lay there, catching their breathes. He looks into her eyes, his heart pounding harder. He leans close to her, hesitating for a moment before kissing her gently. A text on her phone breaks their moment. She sighs and picks up her phone as he gets up and puts on a pair of basketball shorts.

"It's Gary. He wants to know if I'm done distracting you yet." He smiles and leans over, kissing her neck.

"Nope. You're always a distraction." She smiles and gently nudges him.

"You know we have to go out eventually." He nibbles on her ear.

"Maybe tomorrow." She holds the blanket over her chest as she sits up, kissing him gently. 

"He seems upset though. We should see if he's okay. This Lottie thing could easily get out of hand." 

"You've got a point." She gets up and starts getting dressed, pausing when she has her underwear and bra on. "What's wrong?"

"Your room is clean. It was a disaster last time I saw it." He blushes and scratches his ear.

"It was like that cause I didn't expect anyone to see it. I swear I'm usually cleaner than that but I didn't think I'd be having a girl in my room so there was no motivation to keep it clean..." He bites his lip and checks her out. "Speaking of having a girl in my room." She smiles and shakes her head.

"Uh uh. That's gonna have to wait." He walks up to her, grabbing her ass. 

"You make it so hard though. You're so damn sexy." She wraps her arms around his neck. 

"Slow your roll, Romeo. We've got all summer." He smiles and kisses her before letting her go. As she finishes getting dressed Bobby couldn't stop the same thought that kept going through his head every time he looked at her. **_What have I gotten myself into?_**


	12. June 20, 2020

Jacinda's alarm goes off, making her groan.

"Nooooo. Five more minutes." Bobby puts his arm around her and kisses her bare shoulder.

"Sorry, lass. We've got to get up. Today's the day." She sighs.

"I know. But you're just so comfy." She turns and cuddles into him, his arms tighten around her.

"I wish we could stay here too, but we can't." She pouts at him, making him smile. "Come on. You've got to make it back to your place to change your clothes before it all kicks off." She groans and sits up. 

"Why didn't I think to bring clothes with me last night?"

"Cause every night you say you're gonna go home and then you end up staying anyway." She blushes.

"You're a good pillow." He laughs and kisses her cheek before getting up.

"Come on, get up." She frowns and gets up.

********

Robbie stands beside Bobby, anxiously twisting his hands.

"Do you think my dad is gonna come?" Bobby looks down at him.

"Dinnae ken, lad. I wish I knew. Do you want him to come?" He shrugs.

"I mean, maybe. I'm not sure. I haven't really decided." 

"It's okay either way. I mean he's your dad. With everything that's been happening you have a right to feel everything you're feeling." 

"I know...I just wish that he'd at least call." He sighs and puts his arm around him.

"I know, pal. I know."

********

Jacinda walks with her arms hooked through both of her parents arms. Gary walks up to them and hugs them both, kissing Sandy on the cheek. 

"Auntie Sandy, Uncle Joe! Bout time you two showed up." Joe gently punches his arm.

"You better watch it. I may be old but I'll still kick your ass." Lottie and Chelsea run up to them, squealing. Lottie hugs Sandy tightly.

"Mama Sandy! I missed you!" Chelsea hugs her next.

"I was worried we wouldn't get to see you at all! It's not the same without y'all." Sandy beams at them.

"I miss you girls so much. You know you're always welcome at the house any time." Jacinda steals a glance around, searching for Bobby. Her heart deflating when she doesn't find him in the crowd. "What're you looking for, hun? Or is it who?" Jacinda blushes.

"I'm just seeing who's here. We should be having a big turnout this year." She spots a man with red hair looking around like he's lost. "But I do see someone that looks like they're lost, so excuse me." Chelsea steps aside.

"Yes ma'am, boss lady." As she approaches she sees a chest tattoo peaking out from under his shirt, another one wrapped around his right arm. His red hair was a curly mess, he flashed her a dazzling smile as she approached. 

"Hi, you look lost. Is there someone I can help you find?" His bright blue eyes twinkled.

"I think I've found exactly who I'm looking for, lass." The thick Scottish accent makes her smile.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say you know Bobby." 

"Aye, I'm Miles. Please tell me your name, I'd love to get to know you." She blushes lightly.

"I'm Jace, the one who runs the camp." He raises his eyebrows and whistles, looking her over.

"Damn that lad must have serious game to catch a girl like you." She blushes again. 

"So he's talked about me then?"

"Every time we talk. He never shuts up about you."

"He didn't mention you were coming, does he know?"

"I joked about it but he doesn't know I actually planned on coming. I had to see my best mate after so long. Been a while since I got to pick on him. So tell me your side of it. How are you feeling about this whole thing with him?" She raises her eyebrows and smiles.

"Trying to see if you approve?"

"Maybe. Maybe I'm just seeing if I have a chance of turning your head. He wasn't lying when he said you were gorgeous." She looks at him for a long moment.

"My you are a charmer. I like him...a lot. I like spending time with him. I like his smile, his laugh, his jokes. And watching him play with my dog. Who is probably with him right now actually. I doubt my head can be turned, sorry to disappoint." He shrugs.

"There's still time."

"Oi! Who's that crazy red head talking to my lass?" She turns and sees Bobby, her heart thumping wildly. She couldn't hide the smile she got every time she saw him, Miles saw it too. Bobby walks over and hugs Miles. "What're you doing here???" Miles smiles at him.

"I told you I was coming."

"I thought you were joking! Scotland is ridiculously far away and hella expensive to fly from." He shrugs.

"My company's really taken off so I'm not worried about the money part. I figured it would be nice to catch up a bit, it's been a long ass time." Jacinda clears her throat.

"Language. Bobby you know better." He bites his lip at her.

"Yes ma'am." She blushes and gently pushes him.

"Don't start that. My parents are right over there and they aren't too sure about you yet."

"I thought they loved me."

"As an employee yes. But as an employee I..." She looks around making sure no one was too close, lowering her voice. "As an employee I'm currently sleeping with no."

"How do they even know that?"

"Your other best friend has a big mouth. He let it slip when we went over there for lunch the other day. I got all kinds of crap from them, but that's for another time."

"Glad I didn't go then, talk about awkward. Anyway, I see you two have met."

"Aye, she was just introducing herself. You weren't kidding mate, she's bonnie as f- I mean she's gorgeous. How you got her to fall for you I'll never understand."

"Neither do I, if I'm honest." Hazel whines next to Bobby. "What? I thought you liked Scots too. He's alright."

"Are you talking to that dog right now?"

"Aye. This is Hazel, Jace's dog. But I think she likes me better, she's with me more than her." Jace crosses her arms and looks at Hazel.

"Traitor. What happened to girls sticking together? I raised you, remember that when he leaves." She looks up and sees Bobby and Miles smiling at her. "What? I'm a little hurt she likes someone else more. She sleeps in his cabin more than she does at my house. I'm jealous." Gary walks over to them, leaning his arm on Jacinda's shoulder.

"What's going on, Jacey?"

"Hey, Gaz. Not a whole lot, just chatting to a couple Scotsmen." He smiles at Miles.

"You must be Miles, I'm Gary. It's nice to finally meet you." He shakes Miles hand.

"Nice to meet you too. You're the flatmate, right?"

"And Jacey's cousin."

"So glad you said that. For a minute I was worried Bobby got himself into another love triangle."

"Hell no."

"Gary! Language!"

"Sorry. I mean no. We're literally related and not disgusting." Noah approaches Jacinda.

"Hey, Jace. Got a minute?" She looks at him for a minute. 

"Okay. As long as it's about the camp." She walks away with Noah leaving Gary, Miles and Bobby to themselves. Bobby watches them walk away, his anxiety getting the best of his thoughts again. _**Is he still trying to get her to take him back? Would she ever take him back? What if it came down to me or him...would she choose him? What if being with me makes her realize he's who she wants?**_ Miles looks between the three of them.

"Looks like he might have actually gotten into another love triangle." Gary shakes his head.

"Nah, he's trying but he won't make it. He cheated on her and she's not one to repeat mistakes. If you hurt her it's over." Miles nudges Bobby.

"Hey, for what it's worth...she seems to really like you." Bobby nods slowly.

"I keep telling myself that but it never helps." Robbie comes up to Bobby, frowning. "What's going, Rob? You alright?"

"My dad isn't coming. Grandma says she hasn't talked to him since Mom's funeral." Bobby sighs and puts an arm around him.

"I'm sorry. I know how it feels."

"Have you talked to your dad since he left?"

"Nope. Haven't seen him since my mum died." He shrugs. "Sometimes I still get mad about it but mostly I use it as motivation to be nothing like him." 

"I just was hoping he would actually be there for me."

"I know, it's rough. You know Gary hasn't seen his dad since he was a lad either." Robbie looks at Gary.

"He's right. My dad ran out on us one day just out of the blue. It's been my mum, nan and I since then." Miles smiles at Robbie.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a no dads club. Mine left too." Robbie looks at him. "Sorry, I'm Miles." He turns to Bobby.

"I thought you hated him and y'all weren't friends." Bobby smiles and looks back at Miles.

"We figured it out. Miles, this is Robbie." Miles holds out his hand, Robbie hesitantly shakes it. "Why don't us lads go find something to do. Where's your grandparents? You think they'd be up for tug-of-war?" 

********

"No, it doesn't look like his dad came. His grandparents are talking to my parents right now."

"Your parents came?"

"Yeah. They may not stay the whole time though. Mom has been getting tired out pretty easily."

"How is she?"

"Best she can be for now. Still don't know how bad the damage is. She's supposed to see a kidney specialist next week."

"I'm sorry, Jace. Is there anything I can do?"

"No, just keep taking care of your campers." He glances over at Robbie standing with Miles, Gary and Bobby.

"Who's that other guy?"

"That's Miles, Bobby's best friend."

"I thought Gary was his best friend."

"You can have more than one best friend. He flew in from Scotland to see Bobby." She looks over at them, Bobby smiles at Miles. _**I just can't get enough of him.**_

"Do you love him?" Her head snaps back at Noah.

"What?"

"Do you love him?"

"We just started getting to know each other. Love is a long ways off. Besides this isn't a permanent thing, he leaves at the end of the summer...why?"

"You've never looked at me the way you look at him."

"What do you mean?"

"When you look at him it's like nothing else matters. You get this look that I've never seen before. You look like you're in love." She shakes her head.

"It's too soon to know that and I'm not holding out hope for us lasting."

"Why?"

"Because he lives thousands of miles away. My life is here, with this camp. His life is in England, maybe even Scotland now that him and Miles made up." Disappointment pulsed through her. "Anyway, I need to go make sure everyone is good to go. Keep an eye on Robbie." She turns and walks away without another word.

********

Jacinda looked around at the grounds, crowds of people doing all kinds of things. Painting classes, dance classes, archery, horseback riding, jam sessions. Playing games like tug-of-war, horseshoes, potato sack races. She leans against her dad's shoulder. 

"I've never seen such a turn out, Jace. Usually kids with families like this don't get many people on their side." She sighs happily. 

"I've never felt this happy. Seeing these kids with their families. Why do you think so many people came this year?"

"Dunno. Maybe cause there's an excellent camp director this year. You've really proven you can do this. I'm not gonna lie, I was a little worried...but you've done better than I could hope for. They really feel like this is a safe place. I walked by Lottie earlier and she was talking to this little girl, Sarah I think, and Sarah was openly talking about her home life. Lottie was giving her real advice on how to handle it. That's exactly what we hoped for when we opened this place." She beams at him, her eyes shimmering with emotion. 

"I'd love to take all the credit but I took y'alls advice and started leaning on my friends more. A lot of the staff have similar backgrounds. Growing up poor, having addict parents, one or both parents abandoning them. They're using their personal experiences to help these kids. I might've introduced a few of them hoping they could connect better, like Bobby and Robbie. They have very _very_ similar backgrounds. Bobby's helped Robbie more than I could ever hope for...and Robbie's helped Bobby." Her mom takes her hand.

"You've always had a knack for connecting people. Maybe Lottie's right, you're a natural born healer." Jacinda chuckles.

"Don't know about that...but I know no one should feel alone. I feel very grateful to have everyone I do in my life. These kids deserve a chance." 

"You've given it to them, hun." She dabs the corner of her eyes.

"Y'all are gonna make me cry." She sniffles. "I just hope to give them enough of a push that they can take flight on their own. I hope they learn everything they need to and learn to manage their chaotic lives as best they can." She sees Bobby look over at her and smile. She waves at him. Her dad raises an eyebrow.

"Still seeing that lad?" She sighs.

"Dad...we talked about this. I'm 24 years old and perfectly capable of making my own decisions."

"But you already had one falling out with one of your employees. You don't want another one." She just watches him help Robbie with his aim with the archery they were doing. "Aren't you worried about that?"

"No. It feels different with him. I am worried about what the end is going to feel like. He goes back to England with Gary at the end of summer. That's what makes this stupid." Her mom's eyes twinkled as she looks at her.

"You're in love with the boy." Her dad groans.

"Bloody hell, Jace. You chose him to fall for?" She rolls her eyes.

"No. I just like him...but I'm afraid I might fall in love with him one day. Which is why I should probably end it...but I can't bring myself to do it." Her dad stands up.

"I'll do it." She grabs his arm, laughing.

"Dad! Sit down!"

"You just said you couldn't do it! I was just trying to help you out." Her mom shakes her head.

"Joe, leave her alone. Let her have her fun with him. She's an adult now, she's gonna have to learn a few things on her own." 

"At least mom's on my side."

"I am too but whoever you choose to partner with has to be worthy of you and I'm not sure he is. If him and Robbie have the same background he may have more baggage than you can handle...and I don't want you to burn out trying to save him."

"I'm not saving him...he's saving himself. He just doesn't know it." Bobby meets her eyes again, making her loose focus of everything else. He wiggles his eyebrows at her, making her laugh. Her mom shrugged.

"He is pretty sexy." Jacinda gasped.

"Mom!!"

"What? Have you seen his eyes? And those adorable freckles?" Jace smiles.

"He has tattoos too. And a nice body. And he makes me laugh a lot. He knows how to have fun. He likes to make everyone happy too. And he can do some magic tricks. Plus he plays piano and guitar. And his desserts are amazing." Her parents are both staring at her. "What?" Her mom raises an eyebrow. "Mom, I'm not in love with him."

"Mhmm." She sighs and looks back at Bobby.

********

Bobby shows Miles around the camp grounds. They make it back towards the lake, walking around. He nudges Bobby.

"Alright, spill it."

"What're you talking about?"

"Jace. It ain't a fling."

"It's not serious or a relationship. So what else would it be?"

"Mate, be honest. How do you feel about her?" He looks at the deck, thinking about all the moments they shared there. He thought about the night they were at her house for drinks, the day they spent at the arcade, all the walks they've taken together. He sighs.

"I like her."

"Bobby, I've known you our whole lives. It's more than that."

"I'm crazy about her. Is that better? I tried like hell not to be but the harder I fought it the more I lost. I couldn't stay away."

"How long have you known you're in love with her?"

"I never said that."

"Bobby." He meets his eyes. 

"I'm not in love with her. It's impossible to be in love with someone after knowing them for three weeks. Now can we talk about something else."

"Okay. Where's that Chelsea lass?" He smiles at him.

"Why don't we go find out?" 

********

Bobby, Miles and Robbie wave to Robbie's grandparents as they depart. Jacinda runs up to Bobby, whispering in his ear.

"Go grab a change of clothes when the kids go to bed. We're having drinks at my place and you're staying the night." He bites his lip and looks at her.

"Yes ma'am. You're the boss." 

"Be careful talking to me like that." She winks at him. "I'll see y'all in a bit." She walks off, her hips swaying as she walks. Robbie nudges him.

"Scot man, you're drooling." He looks at him, smiling.

"You're supposed to pretend you don't know." Miles rolls his eyes.

"Everyone knows."

"They do not." Robbie nods.

"Yeah, they do. We can all see you like her. And she likes you. Izzie and I talk about it all the time."

"Oh really?"

"Yup. We ship you. Bacey for the win."

"Bacey?"

"We're trying to figure out your couple name. We like Jacey but Gary calls her that. It's between Bacey and Jobby." Miles laughs.

"I vote Jobby." He rolls his eyes at them.

"Alright, lads. We need to go to the camp fire so I'd appreciate if we stopped talking about my personal life." 

********

Bobby sits beside Jace, bumping her shoulder.

"So, today was a good day."

"It was. It was a huge success. All these campers are talking about is things they did with their families. I love hearing about all of them talking positively about their day with their families. It's such an important part for them to grow from this. We've never had such a big turn out."

"Maybe it's you that brought them here." She blushes.

"Or it could be the kids."

"I mean yeah, but you're first year in charge you have the biggest turn out for Family Day....seems more than a coincidence."

"You know you don't have to charm me."

"I wasn't trying to but since you said that, is it working?" She laughs and ruffles his hair. 

"Slow down, tiger." 

"That does remind me though, apparently our kids have been coming up with couple names." She stares at him wide eyed for a minute. "Oh shit. Uh, not our kids cause you know...we don't have any. Not that I don't want any, I do. I mean not with you. I mean if we go there maybe one day. Hold on." He pauses and covers his face. "We're ignoring the past minute where I rambled on. Anyway, our _campers_ have been coming up with couple names." She smiles at him, given him a weird look for a minute. "Don't say a word about it...we're not going there right now."

"Okay, okay. So what are these names?"

"Bacey and Jobby. They like Jacey but Gary calls you that." She laughs.

"True, I don't think he'd mind though. It's not like anyone would actually call us that. It is the better sounding one out of the three."

"That is a good point. According to Robbie everyone knows though." She sighs and looks around.

"No one's let on they do...besides our friends."

"Well because you tell them everything."

"I do not! I tell the girls, you tell the others everything else."

"No I don't! I tell Gary...and sometimes Rahim but not often. He's pretty quiet."

"Yes you do! You apparently don't stop talking about me. I heard you like to talk about my smile." He blushes and looks away. "And how you think I'm strong and caring. How you like how sweet I am." She pokes his ribs, making him smile.

"Okay, so? I hear you talk about my freckles and my accent. And my tattoos. And my body."

"Don't forget I like your hair too." She lightly traces his jaw quickly, making his pulse quicken. "And your laugh, your magic tricks, your eyes, the way you can make me laugh." He blushes, staring into her deep hazel eyes. "I'm not shy about telling you what I like about you...but I don't go telling everyone everything. That's you, boo." He smiles and bumps her shoulder again.

"We'll agree to disagree." 

"Fine...but I'm right. I'm always right." 

"Whatever you say, lass." Gary looks over at the two of them talking, smiling at the sight. **_About damn time those two get together. They're perfect for each other, now hopefully they can do the rest on their own._**


	13. June 20, 2020: continued

Bobby and Gary walk up to Jacinda's house, walking straight to the backyard. Jacinda sits beside Chelsea, her legs folded under her on the bench. Her long hair over one shoulder, her skin glowing in the fire light. His heart pounded watching her talking to Chelsea. Gary nudged him.

"You're crazy about her, huh?"

"100%...I'm so fucked come August. Don't tell her that though, I don't wanna scare her off."

"You won't...but I won't say anything. Was I right though?"

"About?"

"About everything I told you about her." He smiles at him.

"Aye, you were right, Gaz." 

"Fucking called it. You're perfect for each other."

"Except we live thousands of kilometers away."

"Well, yeah...but don't worry about that right now." Jacinda sees them, her face lighting up. She gets up and walks towards Bobby. She wore black Capri yoga pants with a light purple bralette. She wraps her arms around his neck as she stands on her tippy toes, kissing him sweetly.

"Hey, babe. Long time no see."

"Sorry I kept your gorgeous self waiting for me, I won't be that stupid again." She laughs and takes his hand, leading him to the bench. She sits down in his lap, one arm around his shoulders. He holds her close and looks around. "So what'd we miss?"

"We were just talking about the events today. Lottie was telling us about Sarah and her beating Kassam and Johnny in tug-of-war."

"I missed that??" Lottie smirks.

"Yup. Me and my girl Sarah are one helluva team. Sorry, babe." Kassam smiles and puts his arm around her.

"What're you gonna do to make me feel better?" She leans over, nibbling on his ear.

"I can do a whole lot." Gary rolls his eyes.

"Keep it PG, yeah?" Lottie scowls at Gary.

"Oh shut up. Not our fault you're single." Rahim clears his throat.

"Moving on, I liked seeing Jace's parents. It's been so long since I've seen them. It was nice to talk to Joe again about golf." Chelsea readjust in her seat.

"Yes! I loved chatting with Sandy, her girl talks are the best. I'm glad she finally got to meet my sister. What'd you think of her Katrina?" A woman with short brown hair, the brilliant blue eyes and full lips smiles at her. They had the same eyes and cheek bones, same body structure and the same smile.

"Yes! I loved your mom, Jace. She was so sweet." Bobby looks around the group.

"Damn, we got a lot of new people to the group." Beside Chelsea sat her sister, Katrina. Arjun's sister, Priya, sat next to him. Henrik's girlfriend, Blake, sat in his lap. Miles sat on Chelsea's other side. Jacinda smiles.

"Hey, if any of y'all want a job next summer just let me know. I'd love to make y'all a permanent part of the group." Rahim looks over at Priya. She was very curvy, long auburn hair that went down to her waist. She had dark brown eyes and a beauty mark just under her eye.

"I wouldn't mind getting to know some of y'all." She blushes and winks at him.

"Same, babes. I definitely want to get to know you." Arjun rolls his eyes.

"Really, Priya? After six years this is how you want to spend the first time we've seen each other?" She laughs and hugs him.

"Hey, you know I wouldn't leave you. I missed my little brother. And believe it or not Mama and Baba do too." 

"Yeah, sure. Last they said Baba said no son of his would be like me and Mama said that I was cruel for hurting her. I'm good." 

"They feel differently now, I swear. But we'll talk about that later. I missed you and I don't want to fight tonight." He smiles and nudges her.

"Alright, you softy." Katrina smiles at Gary sweetly.

"So what do you do? Here and back home."

"Here I'm the handy man. I fix pretty much everything. At home I'm a crane operator." She bites her lip.

"Sexy." He blushes. "You're from England?"

"Yeah, Chatham to be specific. Bobby and I are flatmates." Miles smiles.

"Mind if I move in too?" Gary raises his eyebrows. "I'm kidding, Gary! I'm not ready to leave Glasgow yet. My business just started taking off." Chelsea checks him out.

"What kind of business?"

"I'm a carpenter."

"Now that's sexy." 

"I like to think so." Bobby and Jace look at each other as the others start their own conversations.

"Looks like there may be three new couples. We need to find someone for Arjun now and we'll all be paired up." She thinks a long moment.

"You know what, I might know someone. His name is Rohan. I met him in college."

"Call him up...probably later though. Tonight you might get distracted." She blushes and whispers in his ear.

"Only if you play your cards right." 

"Tell me what to do and I'll do it." Miles looks over at them.

"Nah, tell me what you want and I'll make damn sure I do it." Bobby frowns at him.

"Uh uh." 

"I'm just saying, I have a lot to offer." Jacinda blushes but doesn't say anything. Bobby pulls her face to him and kisses her intensely. She sighs, her hand holding onto the collar of his shirt, leaning into the kiss. He gently bites her lip, pulling away slowly. He looks into her eyes, her cheeks getting redder.

"You're mine. I don't like to share." She smiles.

"Oh really? I'm yours, huh?"

"Oh definitely." He looks at Miles and points at him. "No. Talk to Chelsea. This one's mine." Miles smirks and leans back.

"Ah, come off it. I'm not actually trying to get with her I just wanted to see how you'd react." Bobby smiles at him.

"Good, cause we're not doing this again." Jacinda bites her lip.

"Are you sure about that Miles? Not even a little interested?" Bobby frowns at her.

"I really hope you're joking." She shrugs.

"I think I need a repeat of that kiss." He smiles.

"You think you're funny now? Making me jealous by flirting with one of my mates is funny to you?" She nods.

"It is. Are you gonna kiss me or should I ask Miles?" He pulls her to him and kisses her again. She runs her hands into his hair, he moves his hand to her hip. After a moment she pulls away, smiling. "I guess I'll stick with you." He pokes her ribs.

"You're playing a dangerous game, lass."

"I like danger." Chelsea bumps into Bobby's shoulder.

"Save it for the bedroom you two." 

"What, you don't wanna see us get sexy in front of you lot?" Blake shakes her head. Black had long brown hair, bright amber eyes, full lips and a beauty mark just above her lip.

"I'm sure it would be quite the show but I'm gonna vote no." Priya winks at Jace and Bobby.

"I think it'd be hot." Arjun nods.

"Same." Gary shakes his head.

"I don't wanna see my cousin get laid." Katrina smiles at him.

"Aww come on. I bet it'd be hot too." Gary smiles at her. 

"Nah, seeing my cousin have sex isn't exactly on my bucket list." 

"What is on your bucket list?" 

"I really don't have one. I'm pretty happy with my life. I've got great mates, close family, a job I love." Jacinda gives him a knowing look.

"You have _almost_ everything. Someday you want a family of your own. And you said the other night you were looking to find a real connection with someone and have a real relationship." Katrina puts her hand on her heart.

"Aww! That's so sweet, every guy I've met still wants flings. I'm ready to fall in love for once but everyone I meet isn't ready for that." They share a look, making Jacinda and Chelsea meet each others eyes. Chelsea looks at Miles.

"What about you? Are you still living up the single life or do you want to settle down?" He shrugs.

"I haven't really thought much about it. I mean I'm open to the idea of settling down but I'm not exactly shooting for it with every lass I meet. I had hoped my ex was that lass but she just liked having me at her beck and call. So for now it's more about taking some time for myself to gain some headspace." Bobby points at him.

"I feel that. She was hella toxic and I can't believe neither of us saw it." Miles smiles at him.

"Aye, she was really something. Pretty good lay though, you gotta admit that." He shrugs.

"I mean..." Jacinda swats his arm. "Ow! What?"

"You're really talking about sex with your ex girlfriend when I'm sitting in your lap right now?"

"I was gonna say I thought she was...until you." He blushes gaining a kiss from her.

"Good answer, babe." Miles shakes his head.

"Yeah, good call on taking your time to gain some headspace." Jacinda rolls her eyes.

"Relax, Miles. We aren't in an actual relationship or anything." Lottie snorts.

"Girl, please. You two can't keep your hands off each other. You're calling each other babe." Henrik shrugs.

"Plus you two have spending the night with each other." Rahim sits forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

"Yeah, I thought that wasn't your thing, Jace?" 

"When did I say that?" Arjun gives her a confused look.

"You wouldn't do over nights with Noah and you two were an official couple for four months. You were dating about a month or two before that." 

"It just didn't feel like the right time with him, it didn't feel right."

"But it's the right time with Bobby?"

"It's just easier sometimes. I mean he's closer to the office than I am. And by the time we get all the campers down and everyone winds down for the night it's late. Then we get...distracted and it's really late by then. It just makes sense." Bobby watches their exchange nervously.

"I'm just not understanding how you could date a guy for four months and refuse to stay the night and then with this guy you barely know you stay over after sleeping together what twice?" Lottie groans.

"Because they're soul mates, duh. It's different when you meet you're other half. You click in ways you never have before." Rahim rubs his neck.

"I don't know about soul mates, but I have been wondering the same thing." Gary shakes his head.

"What's to wonder? Lottie's right, they're meant for each other." Bobby sighs.

"Oi! We're not getting into this right now, let's drop it." Miles stretches.

"He's right, they should be able to do what they wanna do. We're sorry if we overstepped. What you two do is none of our business so we'll stay out of it." Gary frowns.

"I quite literally can't. She's my cousin and he's my best mate. Whatever happens at the end of this effects me." Jacinda frowns at him. 

"You're the one trying to set us up for the past year." 

"Because I know you two are perfect for each other, now I just need you two to figure that out." Bobby smiles and rolls his eyes. 

"Moving on from this awkward ass conversation. So Priya, you're Arjun's sister?" 

"Yup. Big sister actually. I work in real estate." Rahim bites his lip at her.

"I thought you'd be a model with those looks." She laughs and winks at him.

"I used to be in my younger years. But I didn't like all the pressure and attention from it." Blake smiles at her.

"I think that'd be so much fun." 

"It was for a while, but they have such high expectations. You have to look perfect all the time, your weight has to be perfect constantly, you have to travel where they tell you to. Which is fun at first but after a while you just miss being home. And then you can't have a normal life become the paparazzi is constantly spying on you trying to catch you doing something wrong." Blake's smile fades.

"I never thought about all that....that actually sounds kind of depressing." Jace pulls out her phone.

"Nope, can't have that." Gary smiles and shakes his head.

"Not now, Jacey." She winks and clicks her tongue. She turns on music and stands up, walking to Blake and Priya, holding out her hands. They each take one and stand up, she starts dancing. They join in, laughing. She goes over and makes Arjun and Henrik stand up, making them join in. Lottie and Chelsea pull Kassam and Miles out of their seats too. Katrina drags Gary to the group, Priya gets Rahim up, Bobby being the only one still sitting. She motions him over with her finger, he smiles and shakes his head. She walks over and leans over, a hand on the back of the bench on either side of him.

"Get up."

"Nah, I don't dance, lass."

"I'll make you get up." She leans down and kisses him, slowly pulling him forward as she leans back. She pulls back, smiling and grabs his hand. She pulls him up, putting his hands on her hips. He sighs. She turns around, dancing against him. She leans into his chest, he wraps his arms around her waist. "Told you I'd make you get up." He takes her hand and spins her, her hair fanning out as she turns. The fire light silhouetting her. Lottie walks over and takes Jacinda's hand.

"Time to show him what he's gotten himself into." She pulls her into the middle and they start dancing in sync. Kassam stands besides him.

"Jace tell you she's a dancer?"

"Not that I remember."

"She dances with Lottie almost everyday."

"She's full of surprises."

"You have no idea." An Eminem song comes on and she stops and listens. "Give it a minute." She looks at Lottie, smiling and starts rapping word for word the lyrics to Lose Yourself. His eyebrows shoot up. She looks over at him, winking. Kassam chuckles at his expression. "He's her favorite music artist. She has every song memorized." She walks up to him and wraps her arms around his neck.

"So you're a dancer and rapper?" She shrugs.

"I've got many talents." 

"I noticed." Everyone dances for a few more songs before they all collapse back down on the chairs and benches. Priya smiles at Jace.

"You're my new best friend." She laughs.

"Same, girl! Come around any time. That's for the rest of you too." Eventually it came down to Jace, Bobby, Chelsea, Miles, Katrina and Gary left. Chelsea and Miles sat on one bench talking to each other, Katrina and Gary on the other. Bobby leans over to Jace.

"I have a feeling those two couples may actually become couples." She watches the two couples for a minute, a thoughtful look crossing her face. He frowns. "What's wrong?" She sighs and shakes her head.

"Both of those guys live in the UK...those girls live here." She looks at him, a hint if sadness in her voice. "Two more couples doomed to fail because of the distance." He looks at her for a long time.

"Jace...I...I'm sorry. I tried to not do this..." She smiles.

"Hey, I'm the one that wouldn't let you stay away." He looks into her eyes for a long time, trying to form words. He finally leans in and kisses her softly.

"It's hard for me too. There's a lot I wish I could say..." They look over as the others stand. Miles and Chelsea walk over to them.

"We're gonna head out, mate. It's been lovely to meet you, Jace. I'll see you in the morning, Bobby." Chelsea hugs Jacinda.

"I had so much fun tonight! I'll see y'all in the morning." Gary walks over with Katrina. 

"Us too. We'll catch you two tomorrow." After their goodbyes they look at each other. She looks into his honey colored eyes, illuminated by the fire light. She's memorized every feature of his face, and for once, she felt sad knowing this would end soon. He saw the sadness in her eyes, making his heart ache. He touches her cheek.

"Lass...I'm sorry." She smiled, nodding.

"I know. I guess I never really thought about what this would mean." He looked down.

"Would it help...maybe we should..." He sighs. "Maybe I need to go home..."

"No. Please don't, not yet. I'm not ready for goodbye."

"It's only going to get harder the longer we spend time together." She could see him pulling away, the space between them suddenly feeling cold. _**Don't pull away yet...how can I make him stay?**_ She leans forward, kissing him. She moves closer to him, trying to get rid of the cold. She still felt the distance between them.

"Not yet. Please." His chest hurt, knowing he was hurting her.

"I don't like knowing what this is doing to you. I don't wanna be why you look like that." She shakes her head.

"Bobby..." She looked into his eyes. "Kiss me." He hesitates, his mind telling him to stop. She leans closer, waiting for him to close the distance. He argued with himself before finally giving in. He kissed her with everything he felt, trying to stop the pain in his chest. She gets on top of him, straddling him. He wraps his arms around her waist, holding her close. "Wanna see the rest of the house?" He smiles and nods. They quickly put out the fire and go inside. She leads him upstairs, showing him her art studio. She showed him the room she used as her dance studio. Before finally taking him to her room. It didn't have much decoration or personality in it.

"I thought it would seem more...you." She smiles and walks up to him.

"More me, huh?" He nods.

"It doesn't seem like you. No colors, no pictures. Nothing." She sighs.

"I haven't had much time to really do anything with it." She looks into his eyes. "What do you think I should do with it?"

"For one, paint it. When I see you I think colors. Bright colors not plain white. Add some pictures of your family and friends...and Hazel. I could see you as the type with fairy lights too." She smiles.

"Yeah?" He nods. She leads him to the window, looking out it. The view looks over the lake, across the campgrounds. The stars lighting up the dark sky, reflecting the moon in the water. Lanterns scattered across, illuminating different parts of the grounds. 

"This seems more you." He wraps his arms around her waist, kissing her neck. She smiles and looks at him. He hesitates again, his heart and mind fighting each other. His mind loses as he kisses her again, more intensity this time. She immediately responds back to him, pulling him closer. She reaches her hands under his shirt, trailing her nails down his abs. She pulls his shirt over his head, running a hand softly across his chest tattoo. She looks into his eyes, seeing the vulnerability in them. He pulls her top off, looking into her eyes again. She doesn't break eye contact as she pulls her pants down, moving them to the side. His hands run softly down her sides. She unbuttons his shorts, pulling them down. He picks her up, carrying her to her bed, laying her down gently. **_Miles is right...I'm definitely in love with her._** He kisses her, they slowly finish undressing each other. He positions himself between her legs, slowly entering her. She moans softly, her heart pounding. He pours all of his emotions and thoughts into their embrace. For the first time he knew what the feeling he'd been having in his chest was. He knew why it got stronger every time they were together. He looks into her eyes, feeling their souls fusing together. Her moans growing louder with each kiss, each touch. She wraps her legs around his waist, her nails scratching his back. He kisses her neck, down to her chest. He leaves a mark on her chest, above her breast. 

"I'm gonna come, Bobby." She straddles him, holding him close. His hands ran up and down her body, their breathing quickening. She looks into his eyes, biting her lip. She saw what he was thinking in his eyes. "I do too." She kisses him again, her feelings for him taking over her. She used her body to show him how much he meant to her. She cried out his name as she came, her nails digging into him hard. She bites his shoulder. "Fuck, Jace." He comes, clinging to her. They collapse on the bed together, wrapped into each others arms. Their bodies tangled together under the covers, she laid in his arms as her thoughts raced.

"What does you tattoo mean? The one on your back?" He sighs.

"It's for my mum. It's my mum and dad. Granny once told me they loved each other so much that when mum died part of him did too. And that's why he left. So it's like I lost them both the same day. That's why they're both angels." She looks into his eyes. 

"Do you really think that?"

"Aye."

"Do you think love like that exist?"

"Aye. I hoped one day I'd find a love like that....minus the toxicity and drugs of course." She smiles.

"Of course." He smiles and kisses her.

"Do you believe in love like that?"

"I didn't used to."

"You do now?"

"Mhmm." She cuddles into his chest, listening to his heart beat. Long after she fell asleep he laid there, lost in thought. **_Why did I let this happen? Why did I let myself fall in love with her? All I'm doing is hurting her more. What do I do now?_**


	14. June 25, 2020

Her alarm goes off, interuppting her blissful dreams. She groans and rolls over, wrapping her arms around him. She looks at his sleeping face and smiles. He looked so peaceful beside her. She sits up, kissing his nose, making him smile. He looks at her.

"Morning, lass." 

"Morning, babe." He pulls her closer and snuggles into her, his head on her chest. She gently runs her hand through his hair.

"Can we stay like this forever?"

"I wish we could." He looks up at her and starts kissing her neck, making her get goosebumps. "Baby..." 

"What? You're so sexy, I can't help it." He reaches in between her legs, sticking his fingers in her. She gasps softly. She puts a hand on his cheek, pulling him to her and kissing him hard. She bites his lip gently, he fingers her faster. 

"Goddamn, Bobby." She moves his hand, getting on top of him. She holds his hands for balance, looking into his eyes as she gets on him. She starts off slowly, savoring every moment their together. Their passion growing with each touch, each kiss. Before long they both reach their climax, clinging to each other. She lays next to him, breathing heavy. She lays her head on his chest. "I'm late." He freezes.

"Uh....what?" She laughs and looks up to him.

"I meant for work, dumbass." He lets out a breath of relief. 

"Oh thank God." 

"I thought you wanted kids."

"Not right now! One day but not today." She sits up.

"Well, we're good there. But I do need to take a shower though. Care to join me? It can only be a shower though. We don't have time for another round." He pulls her close.

"What if we just do some bits then?" She giggles and shakes her head.

"No, I'm late enough."

"Fiiiine." She rolls her eyes, getting out of bed.

**********

They walk into the mess hall holding hands, talking about the plans for the day. They sit down at the table with the others. Henrik smiles.

"You two look all loved up." Jace smiles and shrugs.

"Things are good, why wouldn't we?" Rahim looks between them.

"I also noticed y'all are getting a pretty late start to the day." 

"And?"

"Nothing, just pointing out we noticed." She rolls her eyes and looks at her watch. 

"I do need to get going though. I'll catch up with y'all later." She kisses Bobby's cheek. "You especially."

"I'll make sure to find you then." 

"You better. Okay, I gotta go." She gives him a quick peck before running off. He watches her leave until she's out of sight. Miles sits down next to him.

"What's going on, mate? How was your night last night?" He smiles.

"It was good. How'd your night go?" Chelsea blushes from the other side of the table but says nothing. 

"Uh, good. Really good. What about everyone else? Gary?" Gary smiles.

"It went really good." Lottie looks around at them.

"Y'all are giving such detailed answers, I don't know how to keep up." Bobby chuckles.

"I don't think you wanna hear all the saucy details." She rolls her eyes.

"I mean no but I expected more than just good. But that reminds me, when are you going home, Miles?"

"What? You don't enjoy seeing this sexy beast everyday?" He just smiles and looks down at his eggs. He zones out, getting lost in his thoughts. _**What the fuck do I do? We definitely reached a new level the other night...but we shouldn't be on any level. We agreed we wouldn't get serious and now we are. She didn't say the words but I know what she wanted to say...because I feel it too. It only keeps getting stronger and stronger. I've been at her house every night since then. Fuck. What have I gotten myself into?**_

"Bobby?" He looks up and sees everyone looking at him.

"I'm sorry, what?" Gary looks at him, worry accenting his face.

"Are you alright, mate?" He forces a smile.

"Aye. Just got lost in thought."

"Everything okay with Jace?"

"Yeah, better than okay even. But I do need to go do a few things. Late start to the day and all that. I'll catch you lot later." He gets up, looking for Robbie. He finds him walking by the mess hall. "Oi! Rob!" Robbie sees him and smiles, waiting for him.

"What's up, Scot man?" He smiles.

"I wanted to check in, see how you're doing." He shrugs.

"Good as I can be, I guess." He nods slowly.

"Do you think you'll be alright when it comes time for us to go our separate ways?" He thinks a moment.

"It'll be hard but I think so. Can we still stay in touch?"

"Absolutely. Call me any time. Your grandma already has my number." He smiles.

"Good." 

********

He walks into the kitchen to find Arjun. He walks up to him.

"What's going on, mate?" He smiles at him.

"Not a whole lot, just prepping as usual. What about you?" He sighs.

"I actually need to talk to you about something." His smile fades.

"Is everything okay?" 

"Maybe. But this stays between us, okay?"

"Okay. I won't tell anyone."

"Especially Jace." He pauses.

"Okay."

"Swear?"

"Swear." He nods and takes a deep breath. 

"Right...it's like this..."

********

"Jace!" She turns and sees Noah running over to her.

"What's up?"

"Honestly I'm a bit confused."

"About?"

"You. I thought it wasn't serious with him and then you walk around the camp holding hands, kissing each others cheeks. We dated four months and not once did you let either of us stay at the others place but you and him are staying at each other's places? He doesn't even want to be serious yet you can do all this with him?"

"Um, my personal life isn't your business. I'm a grown woman, I can do what I want with who I want. I don't need to explain to you why I do that stuff with him and not you."

"I'm a little hurt by it. I wanted to be serious and spend my life with you. I wanted to settle down with you. He doesn't. He just wants something temporary."

"He wants me and only me."

"I do too."

"No, I don't have to question how he feels about me. With you I do. With him I can confidently say he's not talking or sleeping with someone else, with you I do. He makes me feel things you didn't and I believe him when he tells me things."

"How do you know I didn't mean anything? Because I did. I tried for months to get you to fucking see me. All I wanted was for you to just see me. But since you met him it's only been him. I don't even know why you'd get involved with him. He lives in England, he's leaving in a few weeks. I'm here. I can be here with you, he can't. Falling in love with him isn't a good choice, you're just gonna get hurt when it's time for him to leave."

"Look, I don't wanna hear what you have to say. My choices are my choices. Now excuse me, I have shit to do."

********

Jace takes his hand and leads him to her house after walking Izzie and Robbie to their cabins. She sighs.

"I had a really good day today...even with a late start." He bites his lip and pulls her to him.

"I'm telling you, you're my weakness. I can't help it." She giggles and wraps her arms around his neck.

"Good. You're mine too." He looks into her eyes.

"You're so beautiful." She blushes.

"You melt." He laughs.

"I'm loving this mixture of accents with you. It's cute." She leans close, their lips centimeters apart.

"I bet I can beat you to my house." She gives him a quick peck and runs off. He chases after her, catching up to her on the stairs of her front porch. He pulls her to him again.

"You think you're slick, huh?"

"I mean I did win, so yeah. What's my prize?" He leans down and kisses her passionately, she leans into it and deepens it. He picks her up and carries her inside. He pins her against the wall, kissing her hard. She moans softly when he grinds against her. 

"How's that for a prize?" 

"Damn good so far." He smiles.

"Only good?" She bites her lip and nods. He sets her down and pulls her shirt over her head, kissing her neck as he unbuttons her shorts and slips them down her legs. She kicks them and her shoes to the side. He looks her over, wearing matching deep purple bra and panties. Her golden blonde hair loose around her. "How is it someone can be so gorgeous?" She blushes and smiles. "I didn't realize I said that out loud...." She pulls his shirt over his head, pulling his shorts down. She bites her lip, looking him over in his dark blue boxers. His amber eyes looking into hers, making her brain feel fuzzy.

"I think the same thing about you. I think you're the most gorgeous guy I've ever seen." She steps forward, slowly running her hands over his abs, wrapping them around his waist. She looks up at him, looking into his eyes. He moves her hair off her shoulder, his hand running down her back to rest on her hip. "Bobby...I..." she pauses, hesitating. "I think I-." He kisses her, mid sentence, until she's breathless. He pulls away slowly, his forehead against hers. He refuses to meet her eyes.

"Jace...don't say it. This can't...we can't...I can't..." She gently lifts his face to look into her eyes. She saw the pain in his eyes, making her heart twist.

"I'm sorry I'm hurting you." 

"I think we're hurting each other..." She hugs him.

"How did we get here? I started this summer so sure of what I wanted and then all of a sudden I can't stop thinking about you." She looks up at him, her eyes glassy with emotion. He sighs and tucks a loose hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think...it would move this fast. I never planned on getting this attached. You mean so much to me, Jay. More than anyone else." She smiles.

"You're the only one that calls me that."

"I can stop." She shakes her head. 

"No, I like how you have your own name for me...use it more." For a moment he doesn't say anything, but she could feel the distance growing between them again. She could feel him pulling away. "Hey. Don't do that." 

"Do what?"

"Pull away from me." He frowns. "I can feel when you're pulling away from me. I have an emotion radar, it works pretty good." He smiles. She gently caresses his cheek. "There's my pastry chef. We won't go there if you don't want to. I'm perfectly fine just being here with you, like this." He leans down and kisses her softly. She takes his hand, leading him towards the stairs, stopping a step above him and kissing him. He picks her up, carrying her up the stairs before letting her down. She sits him down on the bed, straddling him and kisses him hard, holding him as close to her as possible. They remove the rest of their clothes, their hands exploring every inch of each other. She looks into his eyes as he guides her onto him. Something shifted between them, she saw the change in his eyes. She gives him a soft kiss. "Yes?" He argues with himself internally, his heart feeling like it was being pulled in two different directions. She kisses him, distracting him from the inner fight. Their kisses, their labored breathing, the moans, filling the space around them. The rest of the world melted away. She moans softly against their kiss. He laid her down, kissing her intensely. She dug her nails into his skin, biting his lip. His grip on the sheets next to her head, tightened. Their hands find each other, tangling their fingers together. He kisses down her jaw line to her neck, gently biting it. 

"Fuck, Jace." Everything about her was intoxicating. He couldn't stop kissing her, touching her, holding her. Every time he tried to fight it he lost anyway. He uses this moment to tell her how he felt without saying the words out loud. She knew what he wanted to say, she could feel how he felt because she felt the same way. The thought of their mutual feelings alone aroused her.

"I'm gonna come." She moans loudly as she reaches her climax, digging her nails hard. He comes right after her with a final thrust. He collapses next to her on the bed, out of breath. She cuddles into him, resting her head on his chest. For a long time they just lay there, holding each other. His mind raced, a mixture of joy and panic taking over. _**She loves me and I love her. She wanted to tell me and she knows I want to tell her...but I can't. I literally can't, it's a bad idea to get that serious. We can't get serious, we need to slow down...a lot. It wasn't supposed to get to this point...how did I let it get this far? Does she want something more than what we are? I can't give her that, I can't give her what she wants or even deserves...what the hell do I do now?**_ She looks up at him. "Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Your mind is racing so fast I can practically hear it." He smiles at her, running his thumb across her bottom lip.

"I will never understand how you know everything I'm thinking or feeling."

"I told you, it's my super power. It's like empathy on steroids. Sometimes I wonder if I actually have super powers." She moves one of his dreads out of his face. "Tell me what you're thinking. I want to know so I know what to do." He shakes his head.

"There's nothing you need to do except just be you." She scoots up so her face is by his.

"I don't want you to hide things, not because it worries me...but because you hide too much and it builds up. I don't want you doing that again, I don't like seeing what it does to you." She kisses his cheek. "Tell me what's wrong." _**I can't say it, I can't say it.**_ He looks deep into her eyes, getting hypnotized. _**How can I say no to her? She's amazing, gorgeous, funny, sweet, caring...I do love her, a lot. We're already screwed at this point. We both know we feel the same way about each other...but I'm already having trouble. She's gonna be crushed when I leave, will this hurt more if I tell her? Will it hurt less because she doesn't actually know? Except she does know, she knows what I want to say...**_ He kisses her, getting on top of her. She gets lost in him, in their embrace. She wraps her legs around his waist, whimpering softly as he thrusts into her again. His lips never leave hers, muffling her soft moans. He holds her hand, their fingers intertwined. He pulls away, staying close to her. He looks into her eyes, his heart pounding again. She smiles at him, making his insides melt. She saw the fight in his eyes, the emotions he was trying to hold back. "Hey, it's okay. You don't have to say it." He sighs and rests his head against hers. _**She knows already.**_

"I love you." She smiles and kisses him, her heart nearly exploding from her happiness.

"I love you too." Everything between them becomes urgent and passionate. Their love for each other filling the air and their hearts. Their souls became one. 

********

He cuddles into her, resting his head on her chest. She gently scratches his back, unable to stop herself from smiling. **_He loves me, he actually loves me. The only thing that matters now is being with him...but how? He's in England...I can't ask him to move here for me. Plus it would take forever for him to actually move here. It'll cost a fortune for him to move to a different country and he won't accept me paying for it. Maybe...maybe I can move. I'd have to give up the camp though...maybe I can just come back during the summer. Like a month in advance to prepare and during the summer then go back home. I wonder how he'd feel about that._**

"Hey." He looks up at her. "I want to ask you something." 

"Okay..."

"What would you say if I told you I was considering moving to England?"

"Uh, what? Why? You can't."

"Why not?"

"Cause you're needed here."

"I can still do the summer camp. I'd be in England August to probably May and then May to July I'd be here." He sits up.

"Jace, you can't be serious. You're not telling me you want to move to a whole different country just cause of me."

"Why is that such a bad thing? I thought we loved each other." His eyes soften.

"I do, we do. But that's a really big step and neither one of us is ready for that. This wasn't even supposed to get this far, we were supposed to stop when this started getting serious. Jay..." 

"But it did. Are we supposed to pretend now it didn't? If you love me and I love you why shouldn't I? I'd have you and Gary and Nan and my aunt. That's all I'd need."

"You'd be uprooting your whole life to be with me. I can't ask you to do that."

"I don't need you to ask me, I want to."

"We aren't even official or anything. How does it make sense to have you move in with us?"

"We aren't official because we live so far away. We could be official if I moved to England." 

"Jacinda, do you even hear yourself? We've known each other a few weeks and you're trying to give up everything to move to England. What if we don't work out? You'll have moved to a whole different country to be with someone and given up everything only for it not to work out."

"Why wouldn't it? If we love each other that's all we need." She scoots closer to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders from behind. "Do you feel what I feel when we're close? This connection we have...I've never had that. I was starting to think I'd never have this with anyone. And then you walked into my camp." She sees his back tattoo, running her hand over it. "What do you feel when we're close?" She gently turns his face to look at her. He puts his hand over hers, leaning into it. She smiles at him, rubbing her thumb against his cheek.

"Every time we touch it feels...electric. Even just holding your hand is enough for me. I don't need sex or anything else if I can just hold your hand. No one's ever understood me like you do, no one's ever shown me they love me like you do." 

"Then why is it so bad that I move to England?"

"Because you love this camp and this camp needs you. Remember why you took over in the first place. Your parents can't care for it any longer. And your mum is sick and only getting sicker. She needs you here with her. Your parents gave up a life with you for most of your childhood. But they got help and crawled out of the hole they dug...for you. All they want is to live the rest of their lives with you. Even after your mum passes what about your dad? I know you love him just as much, if not more than, me. He's gonna need you more than ever. You and your mum are all he has left." She tries to fight back the tears she felt threatening to fall. _**But I don't want to give this up. I don't want to give him up.**_

"I need you." A tear falls, making her look so vulnerable for once. He gently wipes it away.

"It's just...not the right time." She sniffles.

"I don't want this to end...I want you." He felt his own eyes stinging. His heart shattered at the sight of what he was doing to her. **_I'm breaking her. She's never looked vulnerable and she looks...so broken._** He lays down and gently pulls her towards him, taking her in his arms. They didn't say anything else, they just clung to each other. She eventually falls asleep in his arms. He gazes down at her peaceful face, the pain in his chest spreading. _**I'm so stupid. I should've never let it get this far. This is breaking her, I'm breaking her. I knew this would happen but I let it happen anyway. I should've been stronger. But I need her just as much. I feel what she feels, everything about her is addicting. This is why I went through all that pain...to find her.**_ He snuggles down into the pillows, closing his eyes for bed. She cuddles into him more. "I love you." He smiles and kisses her cheek.

"I love you too." 


	15. June 26, 2020

She groans at her alarm, frowning. She sits up and turns it off, looking around her room.

"Bobby?" She got up, putting on her robe. She goes into the kitchen, finding coffee brewing. "Bobby?" She walks over to the mug next to it, seeing a note.

_Lass, I'm so sorry. I never meant for it to get this far, I never meant for us to get this attached. I never meant to fall in love. But I did, I'm so deeply in love with you it hurts thinking about not seeing your face everyday. Seeing how much me loving you is hurting you only makes this harder. I'm so, so sorry. But I have to do this. I can't let you give up everything for me. I can't be why this place fell without you. This place and your parents need you more than I do. I'm so sorry for hurting you. I love you._

_-Your Pastry Chef_

_P.S. I figured out how to set the timer on your coffee maker. Just press set every night. Also, give Hazel a kiss for me._

She re-reads it, the words stabbing her heart like a hot knife. She runs upstairs, throwing some clothes on before running outside. She runs to his cabin, finding it empty. She dashes to her truck, passing Gary and Chelsea on the way. They yelled after her but she didn't stop. She drives to the airport as fast as she could, running up to the desk. 

"When's your next flight to London?" The lady types some stuff into the computer. 

"It's boarding in a few minutes." After quickly making it through security she grabs her shoes and runs towards his gate. She finally finds it, seeing him going into the terminal. 

"Bobby!" The attendant stops her at the door.

"Do you have a boarding pass, ma'am?"

"No, I just need to talk to someone."

"I can't let you on without a boarding pass." She looks at the attendant for a minute.

"Then can you give someone a message for me? Please?" She hesitates before nodding. "The man that just boarded, the one with the gorgeous eyes that look like honey and freckles. He has a Scottish accent. His name is Robert?"

"I know the one." Jace sniffles, wiping away a tear.

"Can you please tell him I love him? I didn't spend a lifetime hoping for something like this to just let it walk away from me. Tell him I'll be right here waiting for him, for as long as it takes for him to come back to me." She nods.

"What's your name?" She thinks a minute.

"Jay." 

"Okay, I'll tell him." She smiles and steps back.

"Thank you."

********

"Sir!" He feels a hand on his shoulder, turning to see the attendant. "I have a message for you." He frowns. "Jay says she loves you. And that she didn't spend a lifetime hoping for something like this to just let it walk away from her. She'll be right here waiting for you, for as long as it takes for you to come back to her." He looks at her for a moment, registering the message relayed.

"Did she call?"

"No, she's here. But she couldn't come here without a boarding pass." His eyes go wide.

"She's here??" 

"Do you want me to let you off?" 

"What?" She looks at him, her eyes softening. 

"Do you want me to let you off? I shouldn't but I will. The choice is yours." He thinks a minute, last night replaying in his mind. He shakes his head, his eyes watering.

"No, it's better if I leave. I'll just hold her back." She sighs.

"Okay. Do you have a message?" He clears his throat, swallowing the lump caught in it.

"Tell her to move on. It's better this way."

******** 

She watches his plane take off from the window. Tears streamed down her face, releasing the pain she felt in her heart. When it's out of sight she turns, walking back through the airport. She hugs herself as she walks, numbness taking over her emotions. She bumps into someone.

"Shit, my bad." She bends down and helps the man pick up his jacket. She looks at him, handing it back. He had a sharp jaw line, high cheekbones, deep brown eyes and black spikey hair. He smiles a dazzling smile at her.

"It's alright. I should've been watching where I was going." She blushes, blinking at him. He stands up, holding out his hand. She takes it and stands up. For a minute she just stares at him, not realizing she was holding his hand. She quickly let go.

"Shit, my bad. I mean damn, I mean-" She sighs in frustration. "Sorry." He chuckles.

"Rough morning?" She nods.

"Might be the roughest morning I've ever had." 

"I'm sorry about that. Anything I can do to make it better?" 

"No, but thank you." He looks into her hazel eyes. _**Even with swollen eyes and a runny nose she looks beautiful. Holy fuck, who is this girl?**_ "I'm Jace by the way." He holds out his hand.

"I'm Lucas. It's nice to meet you." She smiles, making his heart beat faster.

"It's nice to meet you too. I should get going though. I've got to get to work."

"Working after a morning like this? Sounds terrible." She chuckles.

"Not my job. I love it." She looks down, thinking about what he said last night. _**He's right about that at least.**_ "My job is my life. But I better go. It was nice to meet you, Lucas. Sorry again for running into you."

"It's quite alright. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to run into you again. Or you run into me." She blushes and starts walking away. 

"Bye, Lucas." She turns and walks off. He watches her walk away, her hands in her back pockets. 

"Holy shit." 

********

She heads towards her office.

"Jacinda!" She turns and sees Gary running over. "Are you okay? What happened this morning? Where's Bobby?" She sighs, looking down. She tries to swallow the lump in her throat. "Jacey?" She sniffles and meets his eyes.

"He went home. Don't ask anymore questions. I'm going to the office and I only want to be disturbed if it's an emergency otherwise can you take care of things?" He nods.

"Anything you need. Just let me know." He hugs her tightly. "I'm sorry, love." She pulls away and shrugs.

"Shit happens. You gotta pick up and move on anyway." She turns and goes to her office.

********

She sits at her desk for hours, just sitting there. _**Why would he just leave like that? He said he loved me...if he loved me why would he just leave? Yeah he was right about me needing to be here...but we could've made it work. People do long distance relationships all the time. Do I mean so little to him? And what about Robbie and Gary? Do they not matter? Why didn't he tell anyone?**_ She pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her cheek against them. A knock on the door surprises her, she quickly wipes her eyes and clears her throat. "Come in." Robbie walks in. "Hey, hun. What's up?"

"Did Bobby really leave?" She looks at him for a long time.

"Yes. He did." He sits down.

"Why?" She clasps her hands together, resting her chin on them. 

"Things got complicated. He needed to go home."

"Why didn't he say goodbye to me?" 

"I wish I knew. Would you like to call him?"

"Will he answer?"

"If not leave a voice-mail. Tell him whatever it is you want to tell him. Maybe we can arrange for you two to talk on the phone everyday or something." He nods, she dials her phone again and gives it to Robbie, standing up. "I'll give you a minute." She walks out and waits outside the door. After a few minutes he opens the door and hands her her phone back.

"Let me know if he calls back."

"I will." He walks away without another word, a tear slipping. She sighs and rubs her face, going back into the office.

********

He brings his bags inside the flat, dropping them on the floor. Looking around the empty room, he lets out a sigh. He goes to his room and lays down on the bed. He pulls out his phone, seeing a missed call from Jace and a voice-mail. He dials his voice-mail, putting it on speaker.

"Hi, it's Robbie. I heard you left...without telling me." Guilt hit him all over again. "You said you'd never abandon me. You said you'd always be there for me. And now I call and you can't even answer the phone. When you asked if I could make it without you I didn't think you meant right now, I wasn't ready for goodbye. And neither was Jace. She's a really good person and she doesn't deserve to be locked up alone in her office crying over you. I thought you were a good guy...I thought you cared about us. Whatever, I need to go give Jace her phone back. If you ever feel like apologizing, call me back. On here. Jace's phone. Or don't call." The line ends. He lays his phone down on the bed next to him. 

"Why do I fuck everything up? Did I really do the right thing?" He looks at his background of Jace. She sat cross legged on her porch, the sun setting behind her. She had her hands fanned out beside her face, her tongue sticking out as she made a funny face. _**God I miss her. Is she really locking herself inside her office? Why did I let it get this far?**_

********

Lottie paces back and forth in front of Gary, fuming.

"He just up and left? Like that? No goodbyes, no explanation, nothing?"

"Yup." 

"How are you not more pissed about this?? She's your damn cousin. I thought you two were close and you really cared about her. Does your bro code really mean more than that?" He frowns and stands up.

"I do care! I am angry! I'm furious he did this to her! I'm furious he left without a word and just tried to make a clean, guilt free exit. But he's also my best mate, Lottie. This couple effects me too. With any other lad I can just comfort her and encourage her to move on. I can beat the hell out of him and that's that. But he's my best mate. And although it pisses me off, I get it. I get why. It sucks and I hate it, but I get it."

"Then please fill me in on it. Because I don't understand how he could walk away from this."

"This is killing him, I guarantee it. He left because they were getting too serious when they said they wouldn't. I don't think he's ready for serious. Or maybe he saw how sad she got every time she mentioned him leaving. I know every time she looked at him like that it killed him, he told me. Maybe he thought it would be easier or better to do it now before it got any harder. I wish he hadn't, I wish he'd stayed...but as much as I want to hate him I can't. Now I have to see both sides of it." Her face softens.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think about how this would effect you too." He shrugs and looks down.

"It's whatever. I'll just have to see what I can do when I get home. Try to do some damage control while I'm here and then fix what I can when I get home." She saw the sadness in his eyes. She walks up to him, hesitantly putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, we all wanted them to work. We know they're perfect for each other. I think they know too. I just don't get why he would run from something so great." He meets her eyes.

"I guess sometimes it takes losing your chance to realize how great it could've been." She looks at him a long moment. She saw the pain in his eyes, her heart actually aching at the sight of it.

"Gary?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"My cousin finally found the love of her life only to lose him, my best friend found his soul mate only to turn his back on her...and I might have to choose a side now. I'll lose one of my two best friends in the whole world. How do you think I'm doing?" She gently touches his cheek before giving him a tight hug. He hesitates before hugging her back. 

********

She sits in the top of the peach tree, watching the leaves sway in the gentle breeze. The scent of peaches envelopes the air around her. She closes her eyes, letting the wind kiss her skin and her mind wander. She thought about the first time she brought him here, and the time he found her here. She wished he'd show up at the bottom again, smiling up at her. 

"Jacinda?" She looks down and finds her father looking up at her.

"Hi Daddy."

"What're you doing up there? Came for another escape?"

"Yeah." She looks back at the tree tops.

"Are you alright?"

"No, not yet." 

"Wanna talk about it, love?"

"Not yet."

"Wanna come in for some tea?" She thinks a moment.

"Sure." She hops down, following him inside. She sits between them at the kitchen table, a hot cup of tea clasped in her hands. She watches the steam dance away from the mug. Her mom puts a hand on her arm.

"Jacinda?" She sighs and takes a sip, trying to swallow down the tears. Her mom tucked some hair behind her ear. "You've been crying...what's wrong?" She closes her eyes, failing to stop the tears starting to flow. "Did y'all break up?" She nods.

"He left. I woke up this morning and he'd just left. Nothing but a note was left behind. He left me." She covers her face, sobs escaping. Her mom pulls her into a hug.

"Oh, Jace...I'm so sorry." Her dad rubbed her back as she cried on her moms shoulder.

"How could he do this? He said he loved me...if he loved me how could he leave? I believed him...I swear he was the one I'd been hoping to find. I found him and he left." 

"Sometimes loving someone isn't enough. You have to let them go and move on. If it's meant to be they'll come back. We don't always fall in love with the right person, the right person always comes back." She stays at her parents late into the night. Eventually walking back home. The cool air sends goosebumps across her skin, a shiver down her spine. She looks up at the moon, thinking about the way his freckles popped against his pale skin in the moonlight. She looked at the stars, thinking about the night in her truck where they had kissed, the day she started falling in love with him. She locks her door and turns off her phone, crawling into a ball under the covers in bed. _**I never thought that the man I'd fall for would ever hurt me like this...he was supposed to take care of my heart, not crush it.**_

********

He looked out his window, seeing the shadow of the moon on his blinds. He gets out of bed, going to the balcony. He looks up at the moon, his chest feeling empty. He remembered how her eyes shined in the moonlight, stealing his breath away. 

"I miss you, Jace." He sat down on one of the chairs, last night replaying in his head over and over again. **_I had to leave. It hurt like hell but I had to. She wanted to leave everything behind to move here. I couldn't let her leave the camp and her parents behind. They need her and she needs them. I was just distracting her from what needed her attention. It was doomed to fail anyway. Nothing ever works out the way I want it to...I wonder if she's sleeping right now. Maybe I should call her...no. I can't. The point was a clean break from us. No strings attached. If I call her it's only going to give us false hope. I can't do that to her again. How is it possible to regret and cherish something so much at the same time?_**

********

She groans and rolls over in bed, the empty space beside her cold. She opens her eyes, seeing no one there with her. She just looks at his side of the bed, wishing yesterday had been a bad dream. She finally turns over, unable to look at his spot anymore. She went down to the office in her house, sitting down at the desk. She spent half the day inside, her phone not going off once. A knock on her front door startles her. She gets up and goes to it, opening it to see Noah there. She sighs and crosses her arms.

"I'm not doing this right now. Please leave." She goes to shut it but he stops it with his foot.

"Jace...it's not for me. It's Robbie." She opens it, concern taking over.

"What is it? What's wrong? Is he alright?"

"I can't get him to do anything. He won't leave the cabin. He won't talk to me or Izzie or any of his other friends. He completely shut himself down...I don't know what to do." She sighs and grabs her phone and slips on her shoes.

"He's in his cabin you said?"

"Yeah." She walks as fast as she could, brainstorming the whole way there. She enters slowly, looking around the room. She sees someone laying in bed.

"Robbie? It's Jace. Can I come in?" He doesn't say anything. She walks over to him, sitting on the edge of his bed. "Do you want to talk about it?" He shakes his head. "Okay. We don't have to." She lays back on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. For a long time neither of them say anything.

"Is it me?"

"Is what is?"

"Why everyone keeps leaving...is it me?"

"Of course not. None of this is your fault."

"My mom died, my dad disappeared, Bobby left. Who's next?"

"I wish I could say no one."

"But you can't promise the future."

"Unfortunately. We don't get control over the future."

"Why do they keep leaving then?"

"For different reasons. Your mom died because she had a strong battle she just couldn't win. Your dad left because he was too weak and brittle to stand up to the waves pushing against him. He lost his battle for a better life. And Bobby...I wish I knew. Maybe he'll call soon so you can ask him."

"I don't think I want to talk to him."

"That's okay. You don't have to."

"Do you miss him?"

"More than anything."

"Me too. He said we'd be mates for life."

"I'm sorry I introduced y'all. If I knew this is what would've happened I never would've brought you two together."

"You didn't know. None of us did...what about Gary?"

"What about him?"

"He's Bobby's best friend and your cousin. How is this gonna effect him?"

"I don't have that answer either. I haven't talked to him much."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to see the pity on his face when he looks at me. It's the same look people gave me when my parents would disappear on a binge." He sits up and looks up at her. "My parents used to be addicts. They got clean when I was a couple years older than you. Been clean ever since."

"How?" 

"Well the logical answer was because they went to rehab. They learned how to cope with things without the use of drugs. The underlying answer is they decided they loved me more. They saw what they were doing to me and they saw themselves how I saw them...and they hated that. They chose me."

"Does everyone do that?"

"No. I wish they did but no. There's two types of drug addicts. People like my parents who find their strength and people like Bobby's dad who can't see their worth." 

"Do you think my dad will?"

"I hope so. Everyone needs their parents." They spend some time just being there for each other. No one else disturbing them. 

********

She walks out the cabin and heads for her truck. Gary catches up with her.

"Where are you going?" 

"To smack some sense into someone. I'm not playing this shit no more." 

"Who?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll be back soon." She hops in her truck, driving off. She drives to downtown Austin, driving slowly through the streets searching every corner. She sees who's she's looking for and pulls over. She storms up to him, anger coursing through her veins. She walks up behind him, crossing her arms. "Ben." He turns, his eyes going wide.

"Jacinda? What're you doing here?"

"How fucking dare you."

"What?"

"How dare you choose this over him. Do you realize how amazing of a son you have? Do you know what you've put him through?"

"He doesn't need me, he has the guy, Bobby. He said he'd take care of him."

"That's not Bobby's job. Bobby isn't his father, you are. You can't pass the torch to someone you barely know and dip out. You have an incredibly intelligent, talented, caring son. But he's broken right now and I can't fix him. You can."

"How can I fix him if I can't fix myself?" 

"By loving him and choosing him. That's how. You have a choice to make and no one can make it for you. Either choose your kid and love him or choose life under the highway, hoping you get your fix in the next couple hours. He lost his mother, the woman he loved most. Then he had you and you left him. How fucking dare you."

"You don't know shit about me or my son. You're some spoiled rich girl. Why do you even run a camp like that?" She slaps him hard across the face.

"You don't read do you?" He stares at her in awe. "Camp Red Bird is a camp for kids who come from broken families. Every kid there has at least one family member that abandoned them or are addicts. We bring these kids together to share their stories, to build friendships so they aren't alone. We teach them there's more to life and they don't have to follow their parents footsteps. We teach them skills to survive in the adult world. We help them find their talents, their passions so they have more than crying in the closet in their room because their parents are fighting again." A woman next to him speaks up.

"Camp Red Bird? Do you know Sarah Meyers?"

"Of course I do, I'm the camp director."

"That's my Sarah. How is she?" She looks at her a long moment. 

"You left her, how do you think she's doing? The closest she has to a woman figure in her life is my dance instructor. And she can only help her two months out of the year." The woman looks down. Jace looks at the two other people behind Ben before looking at him. "I've been at this camp since I was 14 years old. That's 10 years. I've seen kids make their choice on what path to take. I've seen the signs telling me which way they're headed. Sarah and Robbie are on their way to follow their parents footsteps if something isn't done soon. Right now these kids believe hope doesn't exist. I'm doing everything I can but I can only do so much. You have to do the rest. You have to show them hope is real. Robbie stayed in his bed all day today, crying. When he plays the drums he beats the hell out of them because he's pissed his dad doesn't love him. Sarah has a short temper and is always fighting with everyone except me, my dance instructor and my music instructor." Ben's eyes water.

"He thinks I don't love him?"

"Yeah, he does. He thinks you love this life more. So make your choice, Ben. What's it gonna be? Robbie or meth?" He looks down, sniffling. "It is possible. You can make the choice. My parents did. My parents were just like you until I was 12 years old. They chose me and got clean. They dragged themselves out of hell for me. Once our family got fixed they built this camp for kids like me. My family has money but that wasn't there growing up. My grandma locked it up so my parents couldn't blow through it." She looks at the whole group. "Make your choice. Right now. If you want rehab I'll drive you to one right now. Choose your family or drugs. Your choice determines their futures." Sarah's mom looks at her.

"Take me. I don't want Sarah to be like me."

"Good. Anyone else?" Ben wipes his eyes.

"I'll go."

"You understand you have to actually try? You understand just wanting it isn't enough? You have to put in the work?" He nods.

"I'll do anything." 

"Good. Anyone else?" She looks at the other two men there. "Your choice. Come on." She leads Ben and Sarah's mom, Jess, to her truck. She takes them to the rehab her parents went to, walking in to the front desk. "Jane! You're still here?" The receptionist smiles and gets up.

"Jace?? Oh my God! How are you, hun?" She smiles and hugs her.

"I've got two new patients here. Give them the full treatment."

"Okay, do they have any insurance?"

"I'll pay for it all." Ben and Jess stare at her. "Treat them like royalty and do everything in your power to help them. They have little Jacinda's that need them." She turns to them. "I've done what I can, now it's your turn. You have to fix this mess. Not me. The next move is yours. Don't worry about the financial aspect. I won't tell your kids you're here, that's your job. Please...keep choosing them. This is going to be hard. It's gonna take a lot of work. But I promise it's worth it. There's a light at the end of the tunnel but you have to walk to it." Jess hugs her, taking her by surprise. 

"Thank you. For everything." She hugs her back.

"You're welcome." She turns to Ben. "Choose him. I'm begging you." Her eyes sting. "He needs you." Ben hugs her tightly.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She takes care of everything she needed to with Jane before giving Ben and Jess a final hug. She walks out to her truck and takes a deep breath. She picks up her phone, waiting for the ring.

"Hello?"

"You have some fucking nerve. How fucking dare you."

"Jace..."

"Don't Jace me. You abandoned him. He spent the day in bed crying because he felt alone in the world. When I paired him with you I thought you would take care of him. You didn't."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't fucking apologize to me. I'll be fine without you." Her voice cracks, showing the pain she felt. She forced the lump in her throat down. "I've been on my own my whole life. I can be on my own the rest of my life. And thanks for telling me his dad asked you to be his dad. That's important, I should've known."

"I didn't know what his grandparents wanted. I didn't say anything because it was still kind of unknown."

"What's unknown about it? He told you he wanted you to be the male figure and you just up and leave??? So not only did his dad abandon him so did the other man who was supposed to be there for him. Congratulations, Bobby. You became exactly what you tried not to be, your father." She hung up, groaning loudly in frustration. She sighs, resting her head against her steering wheel. _**I need mom.**_ She looks at the time before starting the truck. She heads to the hospital where her parents were for her mom's doctor appointment. She walks to the room, knocking before she entered.

"What are you doing here, hun?" She shrugs.

"I was in the neighborhood and decided to stop by and see how it was going." She sits next to her mom, leaning on her shoulder. They wait for the doctor to come in silence. When he finally arrives they sit up anxiously. He clears his throat.

"Unfortunately it's not looking good, Mrs. Matthews. Your kidney and liver seems to be failing. Your best hope for now is a transplant." 

"Am I a match? I know family tends to be unlikely matches but it's still possible, right?" 

"We can see if you are. Just try not to get your hopes up too much."

"Test me right now." Her mom takes her hand.

"Jacinda, you don't need to do this. I certainly don't deserve it after everything we've been through. I've put you through enough."

"Mom, you made some mistakes. But you made up for those mistakes. You're my mom, I'll do anything I can to keep you around longer." Her mom's eyes water.

"Oh, honey. How did I get so lucky to get a daughter so forgiving and selfless?" 

"By proving you loved me more than anything." She hugs her mom. "Okay, let's do this test."

"Okay, follow me." After testing her, the results coming back negative, she turns to the doctor. 

"How long do you think she has?"

"I'm not sure. It depends on how she responds to dialysis. It can be anywhere from a few months to a couple years." She sighs and leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees. She tried to hold back the tears, but couldn't stop them. They became uncontrollable sobs. "Ms. Matthews?" She shakes her hand at him, trying to take deep breaths. 

"I'm fine. It's just...everything...at once. I'm okay." They hear a knock on the door and someone peeks their head in.

"Dr. Jones, Dr. Rhodes was looking for you for a consult." There's silence. "Jace?" She looks up to see the guy from the airport yesterday. She wipes her face, sniffling. 

"Hey, Lucas, right?" He nods. "Sorry, you can go Dr. Jones, I'm fine." He nods and walks out, leaving them alone. Lucas walks up to her, kneeling down.

"Are you alright?" She shakes her head, another tear sliding down her cheek.

"No. It's like everything is crashing down around me. The only good thing I have going on right is I got two people into rehab. Otherwise, my life is a mess. The day before yesterday I had everything and now it's like I have nothing."

"What's going on?"

"My...boyfriend I guess, left without a word. I work at a camp and the kid he was mentoring just lost his mom a couple weeks ago and was heavily depending on him. His dad left and then my boyfriend left so now this kid feels alone. I got his dad to go to rehab and another kids mom to go. But I came here because I wanted to be with my mom and it turns out she needs a kidney and liver transplant and I'm not a match. I just want to breathe for once in my life." He hands her a tissue. "I'm sorry I'm crying every time we see each other. Seems to be my new look, it's hot isn't it?" He chuckles and smiles at her.

"Actually, I was just thinking yesterday you still look beautiful when you're crying." A laugh bubbles up from her chest. She stops herself and looks at him.

"I've heard a thousand different guys tell me I'm beautiful but not once have they said it while I was crying." 

"Well, I'm honored to be the first then." She blushes and looks at her hands. 

"So what are you doing here?"

"I'm actually a physiotherapist. I work out injuries and stuff." 

"You're probably good at massages then." He laughs.

"Haven't had any complaints so far." She laughs and bites her lip.

"Well, I guess I should be going." She stands up and looks at him. "Maybe I'll run into you again some time. Hopefully I won't be crying when I do." He smiles at her, giving her butterflies.

"I hope so. I mean that I see you again, not the crying thing. Even though you're still beautiful with a runny nose and red eyes." She laughs and crosses her arms over her tummy in an attempt to calm the butterflies. 

"Smooth move. But I really should go. Bye, Lucas."

"Bye, Jace." She walks out of the room, feeling a little lighter.


	16. July 4, 2020

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A character from my other stories makes an appearance. See if you can figure out who. 😉❤ Kudos and comments appreciated! Comments more than anything.

He walks in the door, Miles behind him. He throws his keys down on the counter.

"Mate, I'm telling you. You've got it all wrong. Dogs are a million times better than cats."

"But cats take up less space and their fur is softer."

"And their claws destroy everything. Dogs are sweeter. Every cat I met was a demon." 

"Whatever, I'm going to take a piss."

"Thanks for the announcement, Miles. I don't know how I would've survived without that information." 

"You're welcome." He yells back at him from the hallway. He opens the fridge, grabbing some drinks. A knock on the door disturbs his train of thought. He opens it, freezing.

"What are you doing here, Allegra?" 

"I want you back." 

"What?"

"I want you back. I miss you and I never should've cheated on you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I wish I saw that sooner." He looks to the side, towards the hallway, chewing on his lip.

"Allegra, we've talked about this." 

"I know you said I didn't love you but I do." He shakes his head and steps back.

"I can't do this with you again." He turns and walks away, passing Miles in the hallway. 

"Woah, what's going on?" He sees Allegra at the door. "What the fuck is this?" She looks between them, blushing. Bobby crosses his arms.

"You didn't know he was here. Why do you look so guilty?" Miles pulls out his phone and pulls up his texts, showing them to Bobby. "You're still trying to play us? Really?" He looks at Miles. "But what I want to know is why you're falling for it...again. You know how she is. She's been pinning us against each other and you're still dumb enough to fall for it. She just told me at the door she loves me yet she's telling you she wants to be with you." He shakes his head. "You know what? I don't have the headspace for this. Go for it. Just leave me out of it." He walks into his room, slamming the door. Miles glares at Allegra.

"You really just never learn do you? Why do I keep falling for this shit? You don't care about me or Bobby. I can't believe I was so stupid to believe you."

"So what, you're choosing him?"

"Damn right I'm choosing him. He's been my best mate my whole life and I let you get between us. I'm not making that mistake again." He walks to Bobby's room, leaving her alone in the kitchen. Bobby's phone starts vibrating on the counter. She looks at the screen and sees a picture of a pretty blonde woman kissing Bobby's cheek as the caller ID. The name says Lass with a heart on either side. She frowns and answers. 

"Hello?" There's a pause before she talks back. 

"Hello? Who's this?" She smiles.

"This is Bobby's girlfriend, Allegra. Who's this?" It's silent on the other line for a minute.

"Girlfriend?" 

"Yeah, of course. Have been for a while now." 

"Really? How long? I thought you broke up."

"We took a break for a few days but I don't really count it as a break up." She hears sniffling on the other line. "Did you need me to tell him anything or are we done?" 

"No, we're done. Delete my number from his phone." 

"Will do, hun. Byyye." She hangs up and deletes the number, putting it down and walking out the door. 

********

She sits on the swinging bench on her porch with Gary. He had his arm across the back and she was leaning against him. 

"What happened? Why are you making that face?"

"Allegra said they never really broke up. They were together the whole time he was with me."

"Wait, Allegra answered the phone?"

"Yeah."

"There's no way they're together."

"Then why else would she be answering his phone?"

"Maybe she's trying to get him back. And she knows you two love each other and wants to break you up."

"It would make sense for her to be answering his phone. He's been dodging my calls and was really short with me on the one time he did answer."

"That could be because you called him his dad." She winces.

"Not my finest moment, I'll admit. But I said I was sorry."

"And that's why he even talked to you at all."

"I'm not wrong though. Yes I shouldn't have said it but I'm not wrong. He abandoned Robbie. He promised he wouldn't and he did." 

"I know. And he knows. And he feels really bad about it. He feels bad about everything."

"That doesn't make it any better."

"I know that too." They see a huge group of people coming over. "We'll have to talk more about this later. Here comes everyone." Priya runs up to her, hugging her.

"Jace!! Thanks for inviting us over, hun!!!"

"Any time!" Katrina and Blake run over too, joining in the hug. "I love group hugs!!" Katrina smiles at Gary, blushing.

"Hi Gary." He smiles and stands up.

"Hey Katrina. You look gorgeous." Her face turns pinker. Blake pulls away. 

"I hope it's okay, I invited my brother." She steps back, grabbing her brothers hand. Her heart stopped. "This is my brother-"

"Lucas??" Everyone stops and stares between them. He smiles at her.

"Jace...so you're the Jace my sister kept talking about." She smiles and nods.

"I guess so. I hope my reputation precedes me." Blake looks back and forth.

"So you've met?" Jace nods, not breaking eye contact.

"Yeah, we bumped into each other at the airport a few days ago." He chuckles.

"Literally."

"And then we ran into each other at the hospital the next day."

"Not literally. I came into the room to tell the doctor she was talking to something." Gary frowns and crosses his arms. 

"So...Lucas...what exactly are your plans for my cousin? If you're gonna play her I might have to kick your ass now to save me the trouble of hunting you down. And what kind of job do you do? Any girlfriends? How many dates before you try to sleep with them?" Jacinda blushes, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Gary! Can we not?" 

"I just want to know what his intentions are." 

"We're not doing this right now."

"I'm only trying to look out for you." Lottie rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, that went so well last time. You did real good there." He frowns.

"That was not my fault. He wasn't supposed to leave. And for the record, I was right. They did fall in love, he just...I'm still not sure about that part but I was still right." 

"Gary!" Everyone looks at Jace. "Drop it! No more talking about Bobby. It's done. It's over. He's gone. Moving on." She looks back at Lucas. "Completely ignore the last five minutes. They never happened. Anyway, it's nice to see you again. Let's all go get some drinks..." She sighs and mutters under her breath. "Lord knows I need it." Once they get drinks they gravitate to the patio again, splitting off into their own conversations. Lucas sits next to Jace.

"So this is the camp you work at?"

"Yeah, my family actually owns it. We own all this land."

"Really? So do you own this house?"

"Sort of. My parents do and they gave it to me. I'll officially inherit it when they pass." 

"How long has your family run this camp?"

"About 10 years. They got it when I was 14. Well my grandma got it and later signed it over to my parents."

"So what kind of stuff do you do here? Blake said it wasn't like a normal camp but she didn't explain further."

"This is a camp for kids who come from broken families. Drug addict parents, alcoholic parents, abusive parents, being poor, dealing with abandonment. We teach them all kinds of skills and talents. We teach them how to be independent, how to make the right choices, how to be strong. Coming from a family like that either makes you or breaks you. It's our goal to help these kids overcome that." 

"That's incredible. It must be difficult seeing it though." She shrugs.

"When you've lived it it's not as hard to watch. It drives you to work harder though. It encourages me to fight for these kids. Sometimes I have to literally fight for them." 

"So this is personal?" She smiles.

"Very. My parents used to be addicts. They got clean and healed our broken family. The transformation in me and our family inspired them to make a safe place for all kids going through what I went through. I've taken over it this year so it's become much more personal."

"You're incredible." She blushes. "Sorry, too forward." Gary sits between them.

"So, _mate,_ what do you do?"

"I'm a physiotherapist. Basically a physical rehab type thing."

"So a doctor?"

"If that's how you want to look at it."

"Can you cook?"

"Well, no."

"What's your family like? Besides your sister."

"Uh, they're-"

"Since you're a doctor, you make good money then? You're not after her money?"

"I didn't-"

"Do you want to settle down?"

"Maybe one day-"

"Have you ever cheated?"

"I-"

"Do you have a drinking problem?"

"No, I-"

"Anger problems?"

"No-"

"What about criminal history? Got any felonies?" Katrina runs up and takes Gary's hand.

"Gary, come here. I wanted to show you something." She pulls on him, trying to get him up. He looks at Lucas suspiciously before getting up. Katrina winks at Jace as she walks by, leading him away by the hand. Jace smiles and turns to Lucas.

"You'll have to excuse my cousin. He's very protective of me. He's more like a brother than a cousin." Lucas smiles.

"It's okay. It's nice that he looks out for you." She shrugs.

"I guess." 

"Just for the record though, I didn't know about the money thing. Nor am I a felon, have anger issues, a drinking problem or cheated." She laughs.

"My family comes from old southern money. I know it sounds ridiculous and made up, but my family has always made very wise investments which paid off big time. I don't usually like to tell people that though."

"I understand, same with me." She gives him a curious look. "To put it bluntly we're rich. Our family that is." 

"Oh, so you really get it then. People treat you differently when they find out you have money." 

"Exactly. I rarely tell anyone, even girlfriends."

"Right! As soon as your partner finds out you have money they all of a sudden wanna marry you and want to buy all this expensive shit. I once had a boyfriend ask me to help him buy a Lamborghini...meaning I buy it for him."

"Yes! As soon as one of my girlfriends found out she started casually bringing up 3 carat Tiffany rings. Which she was against marriage until that point, I might add." 

"Why do people have to be like that??" He shrugs, smiling at her.

"Greed gets the best of people sometimes." She looks at his features as he looks out at the lake. His strong jaw, his high cheekbones, his warm tan skin, his deep brown eyes. His clear face. He looks over and sees her staring, making her blush. "It's okay. I did that at the hospital...and the airport." She felt the heat growing in her cheeks. 

********

Chelsea looks over at Lucas and Jace talking. Jace laughs at something Lucas says, making Chelsea frown. She bumps Lottie.

"We have trouble." Lottie follows her gaze.

"Shit. What do we do?"

"What should we do? She is our friend. But then again so is he."

"But he did hurt her."

"Only to protect her."

"I feel like we aren't on the same page. Why do you want to stop this?"

"Because her and Bobby are soulmates, duh. Why do you?"

"Because she's heartbroken and falling for someone else right now is only going to make it worse." 

"Good point. But that just means her and Bobby need to get back together."

"Why should she give him another chance? And it's not gonna happen. He's in England."

"Miles is working on it. He's in Chatham with him trying to work through this shit show."

"How do you know?"

"Miles told me, duh."

"So you still talk to him then?"

"All the time...we FaceTime a lot too." Lottie raises her eyebrows. "Actually it's time for me to call him. Excuse us." She pulls out her phone, making a shoo motion at Lottie. She smiles at her and walks over to Kassam. A minute later Miles's face appears on the screen.

"Hey, love." She blushes.

"Hey, babe. What're you up to?"

"Watching telly with the dumbass." Bobby calls off screen.

"Oi! We talked about this." 

"Not my fault you're stupid." Chelsea shakes her head slightly, still smiling.

"Y'all are special."

"That's why you love us. So what're you up to tonight?"

"I'm at Jace's celebrating the 4th of July."

"What's that?"

"Independence day for America."

"Ah. Sounds fun then."

"It is." She hears Jace laugh and looks up, seeing them walking away from the group together. Her smile fades.

"What's wrong?" She frowns. "Babe? What is it?" She looks at Miles. 

"There might be issues with operation Jacey." She hears Bobby coughing beside Miles.

"Operation what now?" Miles ignores him and gets up, walking away.

"What kind of issues?" She sighs and shakes her head.

"I'm not really sure what kind yet. But complications for sure. I don't know where her head is at." 

"Well what is it?" She hesitates, chewing on her lip.

"It's..." She looks at Jace and Lucas again. Jace trips, slamming into Lucas. Their faces are inches apart. "Shit." 

"What?? What is it?" She sighs.

"See for yourself." She turns to the outward camera, showing Jace and Lucas. 

"Oh fuck. That's not good." Lucas leans down slowly, kissing her. "Oh goddamn it." Bobby talks off screen.

"What is it? Is she okay?" Chelsea sees Bobby's face appear beside Miles. 

"Eek!" She hangs up quickly. Miles calls her back, she presses ignore and texts him quickly. 

_"Is he still there?"_

_"Aye. He hasn't said a word."_

_"Did he see?"_

_"Yup."_

_"And?"_

_"And he looks hurt...really hurt."_

_"Fuck."_

_"This definitely puts a dent in our plan."_

_"What do we do?"_

_"It depends what he does next."_ She sighs and rubs her face.

"Fuck. This just got complicated." Katrina and Gary walk up to her, holding hands.

"What's up, sis? What got complicated?" They follow her gaze to Lucas and Jace. They had stopped kissing, but she was still in his arms. Gary frowns.

"Oh fuck no." He goes to walk over there, but Katrina pulls him towards her. She puts her hands on his face, forcing him to look at her.

"Uh-uh. She's an adult, you have to let her make her own choices." His eyes soften.

"But what if he hurts her?"

"Then we pick up the pieces and move on. That's just how things are. You can't control her or her feelings " 

"But...what about Bobby?" She hugs him.

"We'll have to wait and see." He hugs her tightly, watching them together melts Chelsea's heart. She looks over and sees Jace looking at Gary and Katrina too. A sad smile matching her eyes. She meets Chelsea's gaze, Chelsea shrugs. _**We're three stupid girls who fell for three guys that live thousands of miles away.**_

********

"Bobby? Mate?" Bobby stares out the window, not saying anything. "Bobby. Say something." 

"I'm so stupid." He goes to his room, coming out a minute later dressed. 

"Where are you going?"

"Out."

"To where?"

"Just out, Miles. Drop it. I'll be back soon."

"Bobby." He slams the front door behind him. "Fuck me. This just gets worse and worse." 

********

Bobby sits down at the bar, staring at his hands. 

"It looks like they need a drink in them. What's your poison?" He looks up at the bartender. She had vibrant green eyes, long curly brown hair and light freckles across her nose. She smiles at him, making his words escape. "Take a picture, it lasts longer." He blushes and shakes his head.

"Uh, sorry. Just get me anything, I don't care what it is." She raises her eyebrows and grabs a glass bottle from behind her. She pours an amber liquid into a glass, setting it in front of him.

"It seemed like you needed something strong. I hope you like scotch." He smiles.

"You didn't choose scotch cause I'm Scottish, did you?" She bites her lip.

"Maybe I did. Is that bad?"

"No, it's cute." She blushes.

"I'm Maizie."

"Bobby." She looks into his eyes, making him feel nervous. 

"Nice to meet you. What brings you to England?" He shrugs.

"Maybe the hopes of meeting a bonnie lass like yourself." She giggles.

"Charming. That was a smooth line. I need to be careful around you." He kept getting distracted by her eyes. "I need to check on my other customers, but let me know if you need anything." He watches her walk down to the end of the bar, leaning over it to talk to someone. 

"Why do I keep doing this to myself?"


	17. July 17, 2020

Jacinda walks into the mess hall, finding it empty. 

"Hello? Is anyone here?" After no one answers, she goes to the kitchen. Again it was empty. "Where the fuck did everyone go?" 

"Jace!" She turns and sees Noah walking up to her. "I need you to come with me."

"Why? Is everything okay? Where is everyone?"

"Just come on. It's important." He takes her hand, leading her out of the kitchen. 

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." He stops in front of a cabin. "Do you trust me?" She looks at him suspsiciously.

"Uh, in what way?" He smiles and sighs. 

"Not like that. I mean in general. Do you trust me?"

"I guess so."

"Okay, cover your eyes."

"Why?"

"Woman, will you stop asking questions." He gives her his bright smile that always made her blush. "Why do you always have to be stubborn? Cover your eyes. Trust me." She sighs and covers her eyes.

"Okay. Don't let me fall."

"Never again." She stops and looks at him. He blushes and scratches his head. "We're gonna pretend I didn't say that. Cover your eyes." She slowly covers them again. He guides her carefully forward, the smell of his body wash familiarizing the air around her. He stops her and stands behind her, gently moving her hands away from her face. She felt how close he was to her, making her blush again. "Now open." She opens her eyes and was immediately covered in confetti.

"SURPRISE!!!!" Every single person at the camp gathered outside with a big banner that read 'happy birthday Jace'. There were balloons tied everywhere. She covers her mouth in shock. Noah nudges her gently.

"Happy 25th birthday, Jace." She looks around at everyone.

"I forgot my own birthday." She laughs and looks at everyone. "What even is all this?" She looks at the food set out on the tables. 

"French toast and cinnamon rolls, your favorite breakfast foods. This is your birthday breakfast." She smiles, wiping her eyes. A bunch of campers came up, surrounding her in a big hug. Her friends took their turns telling her happy birthday and giving her a hug of their own. She sits down next to Gary.

"Was this a good surprise?"

"A great surprise. I had no idea. How did you even come up with this?" He smiles.

"This is thoroughly planned and organized. It was hidden from your for days and obviously went off perfectly. Do you really think I could do something like this?" She frowns. 

"So who did then? Chelsea?" He sighs and looks at someone behind her. She turns and sees Noah talking to Arjun, laughing at something he was saying. "Noah or Arjun?" She looks back at Gary.

"Noah. He planned it all."

"Why?"

"He said it was because he thought you needed a reason to smile after these past few weeks." 

"Wait what?" Gary shrugs.

"As much as I want to hate him, he does make it very hard to." She smiles.

"He's always had that quality about him." She stands up and walks up to Noah and Arjun. "Arjun, can you give us a minute?" Noah looks at her nervously once Arjun walks up to Rahim.

"I know, I should've stayed out of this. We aren't exactly getting along right now, you still don't want to talk to me-which is completely justified by the way. I just-"

"Noah. Chill. Let me talk." He shuts his mouth, blushing again, making her smile. "I know you planned all of this." 

"Oh...they told you, huh? I really hoped one of them would say they did it."

"It was actually Gary that told me." He raises his eyebrows.

"Really? He hates me, why would he tell you?"

"More importantly...why did you go through all this trouble for me? Like you said, we don't even talk outside of camp stuff. Why would you do all this?" He sighs, avoiding her eyes.

"Because you've had a tough few weeks. You needed a reason to smile again. I hate not seeing you smile." 

"This wasn't some act to win me back?"

"No, it honestly wasn't. I mean if you ever decide to give me another chance, great. Amazing even. But I'm not gonna try and woo you or whatever. What I did was pretty bad and I don't blame you for not wanting to be with me. I do love you...but no means no. This was purely for you to make you happy." She smiles at him.

"Somehow you still surprise me." He blushes and shrugs.

"I mean, I try." She laughs and stands on her tippy toes, hugging him. For a minute he doesn't move, eventually hugging her back. 

"Thank you." He clears his throat.

"You're welcome, Jace." She pulls back, sniffling. "No, no, no. No crying. Today is about being happy." She laughs.

"These are happy tears." He lets out a sigh of relief.

"Thank God, I thought I fucked it up again." He looks into her eyes, smiling. He wipes a tear away, quickly moving his hand. "Sorry, it was instinct." 

"It's okay." He clears his throat again. 

"Right, well, uh, I'm gonna go over there. Mostly because Gary is looking at me like he hates me and I don't wanna get beat up. I'll catch you later, Jace. Happy birthday." She waves at him as he walks away before sitting next to Chelsea. She sighs and leans on her shoulder.

"Enjoying your day?"

"So far yeah." She's quiet a moment, her mind wandering. 

"What's up? What are you thinking about?"

"What I've been thinking about all summer."

"Maybe a certain Scottish baker?" 

"That's the one. I wish I knew what he was thinking."

"He's thinking about you."

"Doubt it."

"Jace...can I ask about the last night he was here?" She thinks for a long moment.

"What do you want to know?"

"What happened? I mean I know you said you loved him and you said he said it too...but I don't know. None of it is really making sense." She sits up, running her hands through her hair. She rest her chin against her hands.

"The last night he was here we were at my place, things started...heating up. I just looked at him and in that moment I knew I felt differently about him than I ever have. But when I tried to tell him, he stopped me. He said not to say it out loud, that we were hurting each other. I felt him trying to pull away, emotionally, so I kissed him. When we made it to my room and started being intimate, something changed between us. I saw the change in his eyes, the way he looked at me. He was still scared to say it out loud, but he said it in other ways. After the first time I told him to stop overthinking. I asked what was he thinking about and I saw him fighting with himself inside. He kissed me again, making me feel things I've never felt before. He looked into my eyes and I knew exactly what he was trying to tell me, what he wanted to tell me. I told him he didn't have to but he did. He told me he loved me. Of course I said it back and we had, by far, the best sex I've ever had. I woke up the next morning and he was gone. He's the only one I've ever said that to, the only one I ever let in. And he left." Chelsea sniffles and wipes a tear away. She hugs her tightly.

"It's no wonder it's effected you so much. I totally get it now. I'm so sorry, hun." She smiles.

"It's okay. I'll make it. I always do." She looks around at everyone she cared about. **_I'll be okay. I've learned how to be strong and make it through any kind of pain. I've got this._**

********

Jace sits with Rahim and Henrik, leaving Chelsea behind at the table. She stands up, walking away from the group. She puts her phone to her ear.

"Hey, babe." She smiles.

"Hey you. What're you up to?"

"Same shit a different day."

"Is he there?"

"No, he went to work. Why? Anything new?" She sighs.

"I'm shutting down Operation Jacey."

"What? Why?"

"Has he told you about the last night he was here?"

"No, not really."

"Ask him to tell you everything. Jace just told me and honestly...he doesn't deserve her. He cut her deep and I'm not sure I want my best friend to be with someone who could hurt her like that. She's the strongest person I know but he hurt her deep. That's not easy to do."

"What did he do that's so bad? They're perfect for each other."

"He made love to her, not sex. Made love. He told her he loved her for the first time and disappeared the next morning. She had never ever said that to any guy but she finally let him in and fell for him. He was her first love and he left without a word." Miles sighs.

"Holy fuck."

"He's the kind of guy my daddy warned me about. If they end up together then cool, but I'm not actively going to try and get them together. This is on him and only he can fix it. We have to step back."

"He won't fix it, he'll run from it."

"Then let him run from it. This isn't our fight. But I actually need to go, a lot going on today."

"Chelsea..."

"I'll call you later."

"Okay." She hangs up and rubs her face.

"Damn it." Someone clears their throat behind her, making her turn quickly. She sees Lottie and let's out a sigh of relief. "It's you. How much of that did you hear?" Lottie smiled and walked up to her.

"I came in at Operation Jacey is off. She's got one hell of a friend." Chelsea smiles.

"My girls come first. I guess I don't always know what's best for them after all." Lottie hugs her.

"I just want her to be happy too. It's only because you care so much about her, which is sweet. We'll help her get through this somehow." 

********

He walks in, tossing his keys on the counter. Miles smiles at him.

"How was it?"

"Work. Same shit a different day."

"What are we doing tonight?" He shrugs.

"I actually made plans to go see this girl." Miles freezes.

"What?"

"I met this girl at a pub a few days ago and got her number. We made plans to meet up later."

"What about Jace?"

"What about her? She's moving on, why shouldn't I?"

"She's not moving on. That was a in the moment thing. She hasn't even talked to him since then."

"So what? It happened, period. She let it happen you can see on her face she likes him. I left, I fucked up and left. And she's moving on and so will I. I can't sit around here hoping she'll tell me she loves me and wants me to come home. I can't keep sitting here crying over my mistake. I have to move on."

"She does love you! I've talked to Chelsea everyday and every single day she tells me about Jace. Bruv, she's hurt right now. Really hurt. She refuses to beg you to be with her because she wants you to do it on your own."

"Telling me she loves me isn't begging for anything. But it doesn't even matter, it's over."

"It doesn't have to be! But by choosing this new girl you're taking yourself out. The second she finds out you're seeing someone else she's going to go find someone else. And then you'll really have lost your chance."

"Why does she have to even know anything about me? Why do you and Chelsea have to keep putting your noses in this? You could just stay out of it!" 

"And watch you fuck up easily the best thing that's ever happened to you? I've known you since we were born and I've always had your back. I've supported you behind every bad decision and told you when you were being stupid. And guess what? You're being stupid again! Fucking call her!" 

"That's enough! We're over! Not stop hounding me about her. I don't need you riding my ass every damn day about her. Go home already." He walks to his room, slamming the door. 

********

She dips her feet in the cool lake, letting the warm afternoon sun dance across her skin. She kicks the water lightly, her mind wandering to Bobby again. _**Why can't I stop thinking about him?**_

"Mind if I join you?" She turns and sees Noah standing there. She smiles.

"I guess this once." He smiles back and walks over, sitting beside her. 

"You doing okay?"

"Absolutely. I've had an amazing birthday. Great breakfast, amazing friends, awesome campers."

"But you still don't look happy." She shrugs.

"Happiness is hard to come by these days." 

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"That you keep hurting."

"I think I'm one of those people destined to just deal with some sort of pain."

"You don't have to be. You're in charge of your life. Do what makes you happy. Go get your happiness, no matter how far away." She gives him a curious look. "You know where your happiness is...go get it." He winks at her and gets up, walking away. She sighs and picks up her phone, sending a text. 

_"Hey pastry chef."_

_"Who's this?"_ She frowns at her phone.

_"Jace...."_

_"Oh....hey. Sorry, your number wasn't saved."_

_"Oh, I forgot I told her to delete it."_

_"Told who?"_

_"Allegra. Hey that reminds me, I'm mad at you."_

_"What? Again or still? Why?"_

_"Both and because you were seeing Allegra behind my back."_ He stops responding, making her groan. She answers her phone without looking.

"Jacinda Matthews."

"You delete my number now?" Her eyes pop open.

"No, I just didn't look at my phone when I answered it."

"What? Why? What if I was some creepy stalker?"

"A phone stalker? Really?"

"Hey, you never know what goes through someone's mind. I could've been." 

"Yes, that's not creepy to say." 

"Exactly. Check your phone next time. Anyway, what's this about Allegra?"

"You were still with her when you were with me. That's really fucked up. I texted you for something else and then you reminded me why I was mad to begin with."

"We'll come back to that other thing. But I wasn't with Allegra, I swear. I broke up with her and never got back together with her because I don't want her, I want you. Why would you think I was cheating on you?"

"Because she told me you two never really broke up."

"When did you even talk to her??"

"On the 4th. I called and she answered. If you aren't with her why is she answering your phone?" 

"What?? No! I told her, that day actually, it was over and I didn't want to be with her. She came here trying to get me back and I said no. How she got my phone, dinnae ken. But I'm not with her and haven't been since the same day you and Noah broke up." 

"I don't believe you."

"When have I ever given you a reason not to believe me?"

"When you said you loved me and then disappeared the next morning. When you made me feel something I've never felt before, the good and the bad." He sighs.

"Jace....I...I don't know what to say."

"We need to at least clear the air. Whatever our future is with each other I need closure no matter what. I've given you a couple weeks, but I can't keep pretending I'm okay when I'm not." 

"I know...you deserve an explanation...I just don't know what to say."

"Why did you leave? Start with that?"

"Because you were trying to give up your whole life just to be with me. I couldn't let you do that."

"Why tell me you love me if you were gonna leave?"

"Because that's what I felt. I didn't want you to wonder how I felt about you. And I didn't exactly plan it out or anything. I'd considered the idea but never actually planned it. But that night...when you were talking about moving to England...I just couldn't let you do that."

"But why did you think that was your decision to make? I make my own choices."

"I know. You're strong, independent and opinionated. You don't need anyone choosing for you. But this time I had to. You were gonna give up everything and let that camp fall just to be with me. We both know that without you that camp wouldn't last more than two summers."

"I could've made it work. During the winter it's closed, during fall and spring we allow people to rent out the cabins. We just have employees look after the grounds and keep everything running smoothly."

"And who would be there to oversee it all? Your dad is helping with your mum and your mum is sick. Gary lives in England and all the others have full time jobs." She sighs.

"You're right. But I...I wasn't ready for goodbye. We still had time."

"Neither was I. It was gonna get harder as time went on."

"We could've figured something out. Miles and Chelsea are making it work. Not sure about Katrina and Gary though."

"Aye, but I've also seen how hard it is for them. I've seen how upset he gets when they hang up."

"But I see how her face lights up when she sees him or talks to him. I see the little heart eyes when he sends her a picture or calls her 'babe'. Their feelings matter more than the distance."

"They also aren't talking to anyone else. Only each other."

"What does that mean?" 

"That means I know there's another lad who wants you and you aren't shutting it down. The one with the black hair." She blushes.

"Why would I shut it down when you wouldn't even talk to me? Besides, I thought you were with Allegra."

"So instead of asking _me_ you believed her and started talking to this other lad?"

"Well I'm not flirting with him. We're just friends." 

"You snog your friends?" She frowns.

"Why are you so upset about this? You left! You left me..."

"We're already fighting and we aren't even together. Who's to say the next time we fight and break up you won't go snogging this other lad? Or what's gonna stop you from doing that while we're together? I'm in another country." 

"I can't believe you would actually think I could ever do that to you."

"You have no problem telling me you love me and then snogging other guys." She sniffles.

"Wow. Unbelievable. You're not who I thought you were. I have my closure now. Thanks." She hangs up and sets her phone down, pulling her knees to her chest. "I guess nothings ever what it seems."

********

Miles crosses his arms, frowning.

"What the hell was that?" Bobby looks at the picture of Jace as his background. 

"That was making sure she didn't do something stupid." 

"Like what?"

"Like moving here. Or trying to be with me when it's only gonna hurt her." 

"Do you honestly think she'd cheat on you??"

"No. But if she thinks I think that then maybe she'll let us go. She'll move on."

"You mean like you've moved on?"

"I haven't moved on."

"So you've been hanging out with that hot bartender just cause? You haven't grafted on her at all?"

"She's been grafting on another lad, I have every right to graft on Maizie. Besides, Maizie is here. Jace is in America. Jace and I could never make it work. Maizie and I could have more of a chance." Miles shakes his head.

"You're unbelievable. You've turned into such an ass. I can't believe you're justifying your double standards. You tell me how much you love this lass, how much you miss her. But when she tries to be with you you shut her away. You do everything you can to destroy any chance you have with her. For what? Some chick you barely know? You'd trade Jace in, the only lass you've ever loved, for someone you don't even know? Maybe she was right...you're just like..." He pauses, shaking his head. "I can't help you anymore, mate. This is all you. I've tried and tried and you're just...I can't help you this time." He goes to get his bags. Bobby looks at him for a moment, his words sinking in.

"I'm not like my dad."

"Whatever you say that helps you sleep at night." He grabs his stuff, walking to the door. "Talk to you later, mate." He shuts the door behind him, leaving Bobby alone.


	18. July 24, 2020

Jacinda walks with Robbie and Izzie on either side by the lake.  
"I can't believe y'all go home in a week. I'm really gonna miss y'all." Izzie takes her hand.

"We're gonna miss you too, Jace." She squeezes her hand in response. She sees Robbie staring off into the distance.

"What's up, Robbie?"

"Nothing, just zoned out." 

"Are you sure? You look like you have something on your mind." He shakes his head.

"No, I'm good. Just zoned out is all." She gives him a sympathetic look. **_He's completely shut down since Bobby left. I wish Bobby could see what he's done to him. He's lost all hope and I can't fix it. Fuck, I hope he makes it._** "Have you talked to him?"

"I talked to him a few days ago. He says he misses you and hopes you're doing okay." _**He doesn't have to know he didn't even ask about him...right?**_

"He could just ask me himself."

"I agree. But I guess he's going through a tough time right now."

"Then why aren't you there?" His tone takes her by surprise. 

"What?"

"Why aren't you there? You said you wouldn't leave him and you wouldn't let him hurt alone but you are. He's in England and you're here. Why?" The sting of his words slashes her heart, bruising her emotions further.

"Because I can't. I have to be here. Besides, maybe him doing this on his own will make him stronger."

"So you're not gonna go get him?"

"He doesn't want me to. I can't force someone to do something they don't want to do." He stays quiet the rest of the walk.

********

Robbie sits on the ground, leaning against the bench Jace is sitting on. Gary walks up and sits next to her.

"How're you two holding up?" Jace sighs but before she could answer Robbie replies.

"She's doing just fine without him." Gary's eyebrows shoot up.

"Uh, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I don't need anybody else. Him leaving was a good thing." Gary meets Jacinda's eyes, frowning. "It's better he left last month anyway. I was depending on him too much. If him being alone will make him be stronger than it will for me too. We've been through the same crap so the same strategy will work for me too." Jace puts a hand on his shoulder.

"Robbie...I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just-"

"Looking out for yourself. It's okay, Jace. I get it. You can't depend on anyone but yourself."

"Robbie, I-"

"It's fine, Jace. I'm not mad you won't go get him anymore. I get it. I'm going to bed." He gets up, walking away without another word. She sighs and puts her face in her hands, leaning her elbows on her knees. Gary puts an arm on her back.

"So he's not getting any better I see." She shakes her head. "Have you tried talking to Bobby about this? Maybe he can talk to him."

"I haven't talked to him since he accused me of being unfaithful. Neither of us have tried contacting the other. Robbie's right though. I won't talk to him for my own selfish reasons. I hate him and I don't want to talk to him. But Robbie is so crushed by this. Am I doing the right thing?" He sighs.

"Honestly, I don't know. I've never dealt with this before."

"The last time I knew a kid going through something like this...they followed their parents steps. I'm trying to save him from that but I don't know if I can. I can't help if he won't let me. He's rejecting everything except drums. And I don't think that's enough to save him." She sniffles, dabbing the corner of her eye. "Gary, I failed him. I've never failed any of the kids I personally invested in." Gary pulls her into a hug. He looks behind her and sees Chelsea looking at them, a silent tear in her eye. She meets his eyes, trying not to cry. She stands up and walks away from them.

********

Miles groans when he hears his phone ringing. He squints at the screen, answering it.

"Babe, are you alright?"

"No. I mean yeah but no. Physically okay, but my heart hurts." He sits up, rubbing his eyes paired with a yawn.

"What's going on?" She sniffles.

"Jace. And Robbie. Watching this is killing me. It's so hard to watch."

"What happened?"

"Robbie's completely shut down. He barely talks to anyone. He still goes on walks with Jace and Izzie everyday but he doesn't say anything. I just heard him snapping at Jace at the campfire and Izzie told me earlier Robbie was blaming her for Bobby leaving. Izzie said she didn't even defend herself against him. She does blame herself for Robbie. She's trying so hard but she says she can't save him. She's never failed a kid she personally invested in. Babe...what if this breaks her more?" He sighs and runs his hand through his hair.

"I wish I knew the answer. There's nothing we can do. We did what we could but this is out of our hands now. He won't tell her how he really feels and she hates him now. Robbie's acting out because he's pissed and he has every right to be. Bobby made him a promise and broke it. So did his dad and now he has no one. I mean his grandparents but he doesn't trust them like he trusted Bobby." She sniffles again.

"Everything is so broken now. I wish I could just fix it all. I hate seeing all this shit around me. It's draining my energy, I'm constantly tired now. It's got my nerves so on edge I can barely eat, I just get nauseous all the time. Have you talked to Bobby since you went back home to Glasgow?"

"Not really. He's called me a couple times when he got too drunk but otherwise no. I've reached out but...he's shutting me out too." She growls in frustration.

"I'm about to go to damn England and set his ass straight. I'm done watching these people destroy their lives." He smiles.

"Babe, I don't think kicking his ass is going to help."

"How come? I can do it, you know I can."

"I do, but this might be something he has to do alone. I can't do anything else. Maybe Gary can when he gets home but until then we just have to wait and see. Until then be there for Jace and Robbie the best you can. I know it's hard but I promise you've got this. You've got the most caring, beautiful soul I've ever seen." She smiles, wiping away a tear.

"I miss you."

"I miss you too."

"I'm sorry I woke you up."

"Wake me up anytime. You know you can always call me."

"Thanks, babe. I'll let you go, I know you have work in the morning."

"Okay, are you gonna be alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks to you."

"I just told the truth. You're the badass that makes it all true." She chuckles.

"Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight, babe." He looks at his phone for a minute before putting it back down. He stares at the ceiling, sighing. "Bobby, if only you can see what you're doing to everyone." 

********

Bobby smiles at the blonde that just approached him. She had bright blue eyes, a flower tattoo on her thigh peeking from under her dress, and full pink lips. She smiled.

"Hi, I'm Jen." He smiles and holds out his hand.

"I'm Bobby."

"Nice to meet you. Are you here with anyone?" He shakes his head.

"Flying solo I'm afraid."

"Maybe we should fix that."

"I won't say no to that. You're bonnie." She gives him a confused look. :"That means beautiful in Scot." She giggles.

"Cute." 

********

Jen rolls into him, cuddling him. 

"Uh, I don't really do the cuddle thing." He gets out of bed, getting dressed. 

"Oh, that's okay. Um, want to get something to eat or something?"

"No thanks. I've got to get up early tomorrow."

"Oh....um, you can stay here."

"I don't do the sleep over thing either." She nods.

"Yeah, sure. I can get that. We just met and all, maybe next time." He gives her a small smile.

"Maybe next time." He leans down and kisses her cheek. "I'll call you, Jace." She calls after him as he walks out.

"It's Jen!!" He shrugs and walks to the front door, seeing a curvy woman with bright red hair in the kitchen. He did a double take and smiled. 

"Damn." She smiles and winks at him.

"You can look but don't touch. I don't take Jen's men."

"Lass, I'm no one's man. But it's cool, maybe one day I'll get the pleasure of learning your name." He walks out the door and heads home.

********

Miles sits down on his couch, waiting as the phone rings.

"Hello?"

"Hey, you answered!"

"Aye. What's up, mate? I haven't talked to you in weeks it feels like."

"We talked like two days ago..."

"We did?"

"Aye, you called me."

"I did?"

"You don't remember?"

"Nope, not at all." Miles chews on his lip nervously.

"You called me at like 3 in the morning."

"Must've been drunk then."

"You were drunk the time before that too."

"How many times have I called you drunk?"

"Um, like 3 or 4 times since I came home."

"Huh. Anyway, how's it going, mate?"

"Uh, it's going good. Just been working, talking to Chelsea, going out a bit. What about you?"

"Same thing...except the Chelsea thing. Saw this bonnie lass at the pub."

"Yeah? How'd that go? Tell me about her." The line is quiet a moment.

"She was blonde and had a tattoo on her leg."

"Nice. What's her name?"

"No clue."

"Er, what?"

"Dinnae ken."

"You didn't find out?"

"She told me, I just forgot it."

"Okay....well what did you do?"

"What I always do with women I pick up at pubs."

"You mean when you were 18?"

"Aye."

"So he's back?"

"Who?"

"Never mind. What are you doing now?"

"Waiting for this other lass to come over."

"Wait, are you gonna sleep with this one too?"

"Hopefully."

"Please tell me you're at least using condoms."

"Duh, I'm not stupid."

"Just being a man whore. I assume it's safe to say these girls don't know they aren't lasting with you, right?"

"Maizie does."

"Who's Maizie?"

"The one that's coming over. She doesn't want anything serious. Strictly no strings attached."

"Yeah, that worked out so well last time."

"Nah, this time we have rules. No kissing, no cuddling, no sleep overs, no dates, no pet names. She comes over, we fuck, she leaves." He frowns and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Mate, what's gotten into you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're sleeping around like it's nothing, using women to get off and not call them again, drinking every night, are you even making it into work?"

"Aye, I make sure I can still work. I've still got that."

"Why are you doing all this?"

"Doing what? Having fun? Cause I'm 24 and too young to sit around like my life is over." He sighs.

"Right. There he is, there's the Bobby I knew."

"Is that a bad thing? I thought you liked this Bobby. This Bobby was your best mate."

"Yeah, when we were teenagers. Now we're adults, we have responsibilities and shit."

"You aren't doing that anymore?"

"No, I don't want to. None of these girls have anything on Chelsea."

"You're wasting your time. She's in America."

"No, you're wasting your time. I'm having a great time getting to know a gorgeous woman, I like coming home and calling her. I like seeing her face light up and hearing about her day. I like the cute emoji's she uses when we text. I like she calls me every morning to make sure I'm awake for work and says goodnight every night. She calls me on lunch break just to tell me she misses me. I like this better than sleeping around."

"Who even are you??"

"Who the fuck are you? If you aren't careful you're gonna go down that path again. You've been there twice already, you really want to do it a third time?"

"Hey, third times the charm."

"What charm for this? Becoming an alcoholic or getting an STD?"

"I didn't call for a lecture. I called to talk to my best mate, you know where he's at?"

"What is wrong with you? What happened? One second you're miserable without Jace-"

"Don't talk about her."

"You're miserable without her and now you're sleeping around and getting drunk all the time? Do you really think that's the answer?"

"What am I supposed to do? We won't work."

"Only cause you won't let it! You're sabotaging your own happiness. You refuse to let yourself be in love, why?"

"Drop it, Miles."

"No, not this time. I'm starting to worry about you, mate. You need to slow down and clear your head."

"I gotta go, that lass is here."

"Right, well I wouldn't want to stop you from fucking up your life. Please call me later and let me know how it went." He hangs up, throwing his phone on the couch. "Fucking idiot. Why is he being so stupid?" He rubs his neck, staring out the window.

********

Chelsea lays on the couch with Jacinda, eating ice cream. She looks at the text she got on her phone, frowning. Jace notices and nudges her.

"What's up, Chels? Is Miles okay?" She sighs and sits up.

"I don't know. He says he needs me to call him. I'll be right back, hun." She walks to the other room, her phone to her ear. "Hey, everything okay?"

"Not really. Bobby's ruining his life and dinnae ken. What do I do?"

"Well what is he doing?"

"He's sleeping around, getting drunk every night, he doesn't even remember calling me two days ago when he was drunk." She sighs.

"I hoped he wouldn't do that."

"Me too, but he is. And I can't stop him. Not from here at least. I'm gonna give it another few days, wait for Gary to get back and go from there. Maybe by then he'll have his act together or Gary can knock some sense into him. If that doesn't work...dinnae ken."

"I'm sorry, babe. I know this is stressful for you, I wish I could help. Is he really sleeping around that much?"

"Aye, every other night apparently."

"Damn, how many girls are in Chatham?"

"A lot apparently. God, Chels...he's starting to worry me. He's acting like his dad."

"I thought he hadn't seen his dad in years."

"He hasn't. But rumors spread and I've learned a few things from some of my older customers. Let's just say Bobby isn't an only child anymore."

"What the fuck. No way."

"Yeah, he's been doing exactly what Bobby's doing since he left."

"Holy shit."

"Right."

"Does Bobby know?"

"Hell no. He's extra sensitive about his dad, which makes sense. But I don't want to put anymore on him than necessary."

"That's true. Probably the right call right now."

"Anyway, I just wanted to vent a minute."

"I'm sorry, honey. I wish I could help. You know exactly what I'd do if I were there to make you feel better."

"Ooh, please tell me it's gonna be one of those phone calls." She giggles.

"Afraid not, I'm at Jace's."

"I mean...I wouldn't object to her being there."

"Miles!"

"I'm kidding! You're more than enough, babe. You're the only lass I want." She bites her lip.

"I better be. Don't make me come to Scotland and kick your ass."

"Is that what it's gonna take to see you again? Well then, maybe we should get Jace on the phone." She rolls her eyes.

"You're a whole hot mess, babe."

"That's what you like about me. It makes me unique."

"If you say so."

"Well, I'll let you go then. I'm sorry for interrupting."

"Interrupt any time, babe. You know I'm always here for you."

"Aye, I do. I'm very lucky too. Not everyone finds someone like you." She blushes.

"You melt."

"Only with you." 

"Good."

"But I swear I'm gonna go now. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay. Goodnight, babe."

"Goodnight, lass. Sweet dreams."

"Sweet dreams." She hangs up, smiling at the phone. She sighs and looks at the background on her phone, a picture of Miles smiling back at her.

"Everything okay?" She jumps, looking up.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Just stressed out is all."

"Oh? About what?" She sighs.

"Work stuff. Shall we go finish our movie?"

"Absolutely. More wine?"

"Duh!" Chelsea tried to bury the guilt she felt for lying to her best friend. _**It's best if she doesn't know. She's just now starting to accept they're over and this would only hurt her further...right? Right. Hearing that he's sleeping around won't make anything any better. And if she hears the drinking part...I'm not sure what would happen honestly. But I can't risk her happiness anymore. She'll be fine one day and hopefully he gets out of this mess. Hopefully Gary can get him out of this mess.**_


	19. August 1, 2020

Jacinda's eyes were sore from all the crying when the campers were leaving. Her nose hurt from rubbing it with a tissue. She drives Gary to the airport in her truck, comfortable silence enveloping them. 

"Somethings wrong with Bobby." Gary frowns at her.

"What is it? How do you know?"

"I heard Chelsea talking to Miles the other night. I didn't hear what it was but they're hoping you can help him. I didn't want you to be blindsided when you got home." He sighs, running his hand through his hair.

"Fuck, I hope I can. I hope it's not that bad and Miles is being dramatic...probably not though." She chuckles.

"He doesn't seem to be the dramatic type."

"Let's hope he is though. I really just want to relax when I get home." She sighs, putting the car in park. 

"Doubt that'll happen right now. I don't need to know what's going on and I honestly don't want to know. But if you need someone to talk to you can call me any time." He smiles and squeezes her hand.

"I know, best mate I've ever had." She returns a gentle smile.

"Likewise, Gare Bear." He chuckles and gets out of the truck. Once they make it to his gate he turns to her.

"I'm gonna miss you, Jacey. If I get a chance I'll come back before summer."

"I hope so, it's not the same without you."

"Right. I hope everything goes okay for you here..." She shrugs and looks down.

"I've been talking to that guy, Lucas, a bit. He seems really nice. We're actually going on a date Friday night." He raises his eyebrows.

"If he hurts you I'll come right back, just saying. I ain't playing games no more." She laughs.

"Down, boy. I'll be alright, you know I will. I'm a resilient little shit."

"Little is not the word I would use to describe you." She punches his arm. "Ow! Violence!"

"You started it. Don't talk shit if you can't take a punch. I think you told my ex that one time." He laughs.

"I will never forget his face when I broke his nose." She giggles.

"You pig."

"Ah, you love me." She looks at him, stepping up to hug him tightly. She didn't hold back the tears this time. 

"You'd think it'd get easier over the years."

"Right. I'll miss you, Jacey."

"I'll miss you too."

"We'll talk all the time, just like before."

"Absolutely." For a minute they just hug each other.

"You've got this, love. You're the strongest bird I know." She smiles, sniffling.

"Thanks for always being my rock."

"Any time." She pulls away and grabs his face, mushing his cheeks together. 

"You be good now. No unwanted pregnancies, not too many one night stands, call me, eat your veggies and drink water." He laughs.

"I have a mum back home you know."

"Have you met you? You need a reminder." He rolls his eyes.

"Alright, alright. I need to go before I miss my flight." She sighs.

"Okay. Call me when you land." He nods.

"Of course." He slowly turns, walking to the flight attendant. She watches as his plane takes off, feeling more alone than ever. 

"We've got this, Jace. We can do this." 

********

Gary sighs as he stands in front of his door. **_Please just let Miles be dramatic, don't let this be a mess._** He unlocks the door, entering slowly. It's quiet and fairly clean. A lot of empty bottles of alcohol but fairly mess free. He shuts the door. He looks at the time. _**He'll be home in about an hour. Just enough time to get settled in.**_ An hour later Bobby walks in.

"Gaz!" Gary comes out of his room, smiling when he sees him. "You're back!" They give a brief hug, Gary punches his arm hard. "Ow! What the fuck?"

"You may be my best mate but you hurt my family too. I usually beat the hell out of the guy but since it's you I'll try to leave it at that." Bobby sighs and looks away.

"I'm sorry about that."

"I'm not the one hurt about it. I'm pissed but not hurt. That was wrong on a thousand different levels and you know it. You know better than to do that to someone, especially her. You know she can handle a lot but that doesn't mean put her through a lot." 

"You're right." He frowns.

"That's all you have to say?"

"What else do you want me to say?"

"I don't know, more than that though." He shrugs.

"Dinnae ken, mate. But I'm not up to discuss it right now, you just got home. Let's relax a bit and have a few drinks."

"Okay, but we're coming back to it."

"Scouts honor. You grab the drinks and I'll go take a shower." 

"Got it. See you in five." Within minutes they're sitting on the couch, catching up. "So what've you been up to the past few weeks?" He shrugs.

"Not a lot. Been going out and working mostly."

"Like to pubs? By yourself?" Bobby wiggles his eyebrows.

"Not leaving by myself." Gary raises his eyebrows.

"One night stands again? You haven't done that since you first moved in." He shrugs.

"Don't know why, you only live once. Gotta live each day to the fullest."

"Met anyone interesting?"

"There is this one chick, Maizie. She's a bartender." Gary chokes on his drink.

"Did you say Maizie?"

"Aye...I get the feeling you know her." Gary clears his throat, wiping his face with a napkin.

"Yeah...I know her. We used to be best friends, and then I fell in love with her. She was dating one of my other best friends though. He found out and then she found out and it turned into this big fall out with our group. It...wasn't good." Bobby stared at him in disbelief.

"I thought you'd never been in love before."

"I never said that."

"You implied it though."

"I did not but moving on."

"No, no, no. Not moving on. Did she not feel the same way?" He sighs.

"No. She didn't. She was in love with my other mate. I'd said she was like a sister and she was...but at some point. I don't know. It changed for me. I saw her differently. But she loved this other lad and he ended up hating me for falling in love with his girlfriend. Fiancé actually. But since she's seeing you I don't think they worked out."

"We aren't seeing each other. We're just fuck buddies."

"Whatever you want to call it, she's loyal. So she wouldn't cheat on him. I guess they broke up."

"Dinnae ken, we don't talk about anything. Just sex." He rolls his eyes.

"Jesus, Bobby. You're that douchebag?"

"Oi, I'm a grown man and can do whatever I want."

"I didn't say you couldn't, but you used to at least get to know them a bit."

"Not anymore."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"I really don't. I don't know anything anymore. I went from knowing you best to not knowing you at all."

"I'm still Bobby."

"Just a Bobby that's on his second drink when we've been talking for ten minutes."

"And? What's that have to do with anything."

"Nothing, just an observation." He sighs. "Come on, mate. We're best friends and flatmates." Bobby looks at his drink for a minute.

"I don't do none of that dating shit no more. No more getting to know them or anything. I don't want to get to know them. That shit ain't worth it. I'm not doing this twice."

"You didn't even have to do it once."

"But I did. And I'm not doing it again. I'm just not made for something more than this and that's fine. I don't need to settle down or whatever."

"So when you're 60 you're just going to be alone while me and Miles are paired up?"

"Sure, I'll find a new flatmate." He shakes his head.

"If Miles and Chelsea only spent like a week together and decided to do this then you and Jace could've too. You know how loyal and faithful she is and you know she loves you more than anything."

"That was the problem. She'd waste her time waiting for me when who knows when we'd see each other again. That's not fair her to her."

"No, it is fair. She's had so many guys try and be you. They wanted what you had. Not just her but you're connection. They all saw how amazing she is and wanted it but she didn't want them. I thought she'd never find someone and then you came along. And it happened, she finally chose someone. So it would've been fair to at least try long distance. Some people make it work."

"She didn't want long distance. She tried to move here and give up the camp and leave her parents."

"What?"

"She didn't tell you?"

"No."

"I thought she did...my bad."

"So you tell me then." He groans and grabs another drink.

"Fine. The last night I was there...things changed. I knew I loved this lass and I wanted forever with her. And it hurt thinking about when I had to leave, I never wanted to. But I had to. I made the mistake of telling her I loved her, I tried not to but she already knew that's what I wanted to say. So I said it anyway. And then when we got done...doing stuff we were just laying there cuddling. She turns to me and asked what I would say if she told me she was thinking about moving here. She tried to say she could just go back to America for the summer and be here the rest of the time. And maybe she could've but she was willing to give up her parents to be with me. Her mum is sick and needs her more than ever. She needs to take advantage of the opportunity to be with her until the end. And after her mum goes she'll be all her dad has left, so she can't leave him either. And that camp...Gary it's her life. She loves that place and pours herself into her job and running it. Without her that place wouldn't last two summers. She tried to give everything up just to be with me and I couldn't let her leave everything behind for me." Gary sighs, rubbing his neck.

"Fuck, it got so much more serious than I thought. She swore she'd never leave that place. She really said all that?"

"Yeah, she wanted to give it all up just to be with me."

"I get that's a huge thing but why not just tell her no?"

"I did."

"And?" He chews on his lip a minute.

"And she asked me what I felt when I was with her, when we touched. And she told me she had hoped to find what we have and she did and she didn't want to let it go. And I looked into her eyes...she fucking hypnotizes me, I swear. I've fought being with her since I met her. And then once we snogged...it was over. I kept trying to fight it but I just couldn't get her out of my head. And when she wanted me too I just...I got weak. I can't tell her no, I tried. Every time I tried I failed. I'm not a weak person but for her I am. And I knew that if she really wanted to do that, I'd give in. I knew I was too weak to tell her no and refuse to let her do that." He sniffles and looks away a moment. Gary's heart broke seeing the pain in Bobby's eyes.

"So it was for her?" He nods.

"It was all for her. I know it sucks, I hate it. I don't want to not be with her, she's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I swear I love her more than anything and anyone. But I couldn't let her do that, I couldn't let her give up her whole life for me. I'm not worth that much."

"But you were to her. I mean I get it, I get why you left now. But...choosing you wasn't easy for her to do. She put a lot of trust into you and you broke it. You need to just tell her all of this."

"I can't, it's done and over with now."

"Why? Cause you made her think you thought she'd cheat on you?"

"That was so she wouldn't come back to me. If she hates me then she won't come back. Because if she comes back...I can't say no. She's my kryptonite. All she has to do is just look at me with those eyes, look at me and bat her eyelashes. When she does that..." He rubs his face. "Fuck, she's got my head a mess. I don't even have control over my own thoughts when I'm with her. Even not talking to her for however long and not seeing her she's still all I think about. I called this lass Jace the other night." Gary busted out laughing.

"No fucking way."

"Aye! I was leaving and I said 'I'll call you later, Jace." She was like my name is....well I don't remember that part. But yeah." Gary wipes a tear from his eye.

"Oh my God, that's amazing. I can't believe you did that." Bobby smiles.

"I hope I never do it again but it's a funny story." 

"You could just stop sleeping with anything that walks."

"Or I could keep sleeping around until I don't love her anymore and finally have control over me again."

"Or you could call her and stop fighting it."

"Or I could keep not talking to her and let her fall in love with some other lad that can actually be there."

"Like who?"

"What about that one lad?"

"What?"

"The one she snogged."

"Oh yeah, Lucas. He's posh as fuck. His family is super rich and shit, he's a doctor."

"See, that's who she should be with. Not some wanna be baker living pay check to pay check."

"No. She should be with who she wants to be with and she found that guy but he's being dumb and stubborn." Bobby shrugs.

"Call me dumbass. It's cool. Miles told me that the whole time he was here."

"Are you two good?"

"Dinnae ken. He's not happy about me sleeping around. He really wants me to get back with Jace. He's falling pretty hard for Chelsea though."

"Chelsea's falling hard for him."

"Think they'll work out?"

"I hope they do. They seem to really like each other, I've never seen Chelsea likes this with anyone."

"Same with Miles. He's always been a major ladies man...until Allegra."

"Speaking of Allegra, what's this about her answering your phone?"

"I honestly have no clue when, how or why. I promise I told her to leave and then I went to my room. How she got my phone I just don't know."

"Well what happened that day?"

"She knocked on the door and said she wanted me back. I said no then Miles walked in and saw her there. He got pissed cause she was just telling him the same thing then we went to my room to chat. I was mad cause he was entertaining the idea of getting back with her. Not cause she's my ex but cause she's toxic as fuck. He realized his stupidity and came to talk to me. We came out and she was gone."

"So where was your phone? She didn't stay?"

"Nope, it was on the counter where I had put it."

"Do you think she saw it and picked up trying to ruin shit between you and Jace?"

"It's possible...so what's this about you and Katrina?" Gary smiles.

"She's incredible. She's so sweet, pretty, funny. She's the only one, besides Jace, that gets me. I swear she's...she's amazing. I hope it goes somewhere. I'm not afraid to try the distance thing. I've never met anyone like her." Bobby smiles.

"I'm happy for you then, mate."

"Thanks."

"So where did Jace meet this guy?" Gary sighs.

"Apparently at the airport the day she went to find you. She ran into him after your plane took off."

"What do you think about him?"

"I don't like him, but I never like anyone she dates."

"Are they actually dating?"

"They have a date Friday." Bobby winces. "I don't like him...but I think she could. I think if you ever want a chance with her again you need to take it now or it'll be too late. Don't wait until she falls for him and then make her choose between you two."

"But if she falls for him then she wouldn't love me anymore...right?"

"That's not always true. Sometimes people's first love is always their love. It lasts a lifetime. Some people do move past it but I don't think she ever will. But it wouldn't be fair to put her in that position." Bobby sighs.

"I just can't, Gary. It's too much, too overwhelming. It's scary to give so much of myself to her and have no control over me." 

"Okay...but if you ever think you might change your mind change it now." Bobby looks at his empty bottle in his hand. _**Nah, too much has been said and done for us to have a shot. I fucked it up. On purpose, but I fucked it up. There's no more Jacey.**_


	20. August 30, 2020

Chelsea sets down a plate in front of Jace, taking her seat next to her at the bar. Jace smiles and takes a bite.

"Thanks for letting me stay the night."

"Any time, babes. Mi casa es tu casa." 

"So how are things with you and Miles?"

"They're great. I really like him. We talk everyday, no matter what. We've figured out a good schedule for us to talk." 

"Aww, I'm so happy for you. He seems like a great guy. I'm glad you're happy." Chelsea swallows another bite of egg, pausing and looking at her plate. Her smile slowly fades, her face becoming paler. "Chels? Are you okay?" Chelsea puts her hand to her mouth, running to the bathroom. "Chelsea?!" After a couple heaving sounds Chelsea calls from the bathroom.

"I'm okay. It'll be done in a minute."

"How often does this happen?"

"Eggs sometimes makes me sick."

"Since when?"

"I don't really know. A month I think." Chelsea's phone dings between their plates. "Can you check that?"

"Yup." Jacinda unlocks it and pulls down the notifications. "It's your period calendar." She opens it, frowning. "Did you forget to input it for this month?"

"Maybe, I've been pretty busy and everything is just draining my energy." She looks at the previous month, still frowning. Chelsea comes out a minute later. Jacinda looks at Chelsea, her brows furrowed. "What?" She goes to speak, before stopping. She finally clears her throat.

"Your app says you haven't had a period since June...it's September first tomorrow. And you've been getting sick, you're extremely tired. Last night you cried when you dropped a glass and spilled your tea....." Chelsea just looks at her. "Chels...are you pregnant?" Chelsea's eyes go wide. She looks at Jace for a long time. She runs back to the bathroom, having another puking episode. "Okay, I'm running to the store real quick. I'll grab a test and some ginger ale. Need anything else?"

"No, I'm good. Thank you." 

********

Jace picks up the test, keeping it face down. Chelsea takes her hand, squeezing it. "Ready? On three I'll turn it around. Okay?" Chelsea nods. "1...2...3." She turns it around, staring for a minute. She tries to hide her smile. "Chelsea...it's positive." Chelsea looks at her in shock, taking the test and looking at it.

"So...I'm..." She looks at Jace, a smile breaking out. "I'm pregnant?" Her eyes water as Jacinda nods.

"I think so, yeah." Chelsea squeals and hugs her. "I'm so happy for you!" Chelsea grabs a tissue.

"I never thought I would get this feeling before."

"What do you mean?" She sniffles.

"When I was a teenager I had some...issues that resulted in the doctors telling me I won't ever have kids." Jacinda hugs her tightly. 

"Then I'm going to call the doctor and try to get you in today. Sound good?" Chelsea nods, smiling at the test as Jace picks up the phone.

*********

Miles sands down the leg of a custom table he was building. His phone rings, making him stop. He smiles and answers the FaceTime.

"Hey, babe. What are you up to?" Chelsea smiles at him, her eyes and nose red. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" She smiles and nods. Jace appears on the screen, sitting next to Chelsea. She smiles at her and takes her hand, rubbing her arm.

"Hey, remember what I said." Chelsea smiles at her and nods. She takes a deep breath, looking back at Miles.

"Babe...I'm pregnant." He stares at her, his mouth hanging open. Chelsea wipes her eyes, blowing her nose. She looks at him nervously, making Jace clear her throat. He shakes his head, absorbing the news. 

"Wait...you're...so that means...we're...." A smile spreads across his face. "So I'm gonna be a dad?" She smiles and nods. "We're having a baby?" She laughs and nods.

"We're having a baby. I'm 9 1/2 weeks." 

"Chelsea...we're having a baby!" She laughs.

"I know, I was there for that!" He looks at Jace as she watches them talk. She was smiling but he saw the hurt in her eyes. She meets his, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Congratulations, Miles! I'm so happy for y'all." Chelsea started going on about the baby, what it would be, the name, when it would be born. Miles looks back at Jace, her smile a little faded. She wasn't looking at him so she didn't see him watching her. **_Fuck Bobby really hurt her. I don't think this is how she imagined things. It's not how I imagined it either. I always thought me and Bobby would at least be in serious relationships, settling down side by side. I guess nothing ever goes how you want it to._**

********

Gary tosses his keys on the counter, hitting some more empty bottles. He sighs and shuts the door, going to Bobby's room. He was passed out. He walks over kicking the bed. Bobby groans.

"What the fuck, mate? What time is it?"

"Six in the evening...and you're drunk. Again."

"Really? Is it only six?"

"Yeah, I'm guessing you didn't go to work today." He sits up, rubbing his eyes.

"Nah, I called in."

"Again. That's the third time this week."

"And? Are you keeping tabs on me now?"

"Yeah, I am. Because now your stupidity is effecting me."

"What? What are you talking about?" He rolls his eyes.

"Never fucking mind. You never hear me anymore anyway. I never thought I'd see the day where you turned into someone like this." He walks out, going to his room for the night. Bobby looks at the door after he leaves. 

"I'm fine, I don't know what he's talking about." He picks up the bottle next to him. "I can stop any time."

********

Gary sits on his bed, staring at the wall for a long time. _**What the fuck do I do now? I can't get through to him, Miles can't get through to him. His nan can't even get through to him. This is bad, he's going downhill, fast. I don't know how to do this. Jace does...but I don't want to drag her into this. I don't want her to get hurt more...but she knows what to do. This is, unfortunately, her area of expertise. Maybe I shouldn't say it's Bobby. Maybe I should say it's someone else she doesn't know.**_ He picks up the phone, putting it to his ear as it rings.

"Gare Bear!" He smiles.

"Someone sounds happy."

"I am very happy! Why shouldn't I be? I have a date tonight with an amazing guy, my best friend just got some amazing news, I get to talk to you. Why shouldn't I be happy?" He chuckles.

"Doesn't sound like you have a reason to me."

"Exactly. So what's up?" He chews on his lip.

"I need your help."

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's not me."

"Is it Bobby? Is he okay?" He hesitates for half a second.

"No. It's another mate of mine. From work."

"Okay..."

"He seems to be developing a drinking problem. Me and a few others have tried talking to him and it hasn't helped at all, in fact it made it worse."

"Is he showing up to work drunk?"

"Sometimes. Sometimes he just calls in." She's quiet for a moment.

"What started it?"

"I'm not sure. But I don't know how to get through to him." Something breaks in the kitchen, Bobby yelling a minute later. Gary runs out.

"What happened?"

"Dropped something." Gary walks over, seeing a broken bottle of scotch on the floor, the amber liquid spreading quickly. He notices Bobby's hand is bleeding.

"What about that?" Bobby looked at his hand.

"Oh shit. It'll be fine." He grabs a tea towel, wrapping it around his hand.

"Bobby..." Jace clears her throat.

"Gary...you're not lying to me right?" Bobby looks at him, his bloodshot eyes studying him. 

"No, I'm not."

"It's not Bobby then?"

"No, Bobby's fine." Bobby looks down at his hand, guilt hitting him. Gary runs his hand through his hair. 

"Gary...is he doing okay? Don't lie to me. Is he your friend with a drinking problem?"

"No, Jace." Bobby looks up at him, his eyes glassy. "He's fine, I swear. I need to go though." She sighs.

"Gotta clean up that glass and get his hand cleaned."

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'll let you go then."

"Okay, talk to you soon."

"Gary...if I find out you're lying to me..."

"Jace, I'm not. I'll talk to you later." He hangs up, putting his phone in his pocket. For a long moment neither of them say anything. Bobby just stares at the broken glass. Gary just leans down, picking up the broken glass. "Go get a shirt on and some shoes. We're getting that hand looked at. It looks deep." Bobby barely manages a whisper.

"It'll be fine."

"Bobby...please. I'm pulling the best friend card. Get dressed." He meets Bobby's eyes, his heart sinking at the pitiful look he gave him. 

"Fine." He finishes cleaning up the mess, waiting for Bobby to finish getting dressed. _**Does he not see what he's doing to himself? Does he not get what's going on here? What's fucking happening? If he doesn't stop I'll lose my best friend...and he'll hurt Jace so deeply she won't be able to move on. Fuck.**_

********

Jacinda puts her phone down, staring at it for a minute. Chelsea plops down next to her on the couch.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"What? Nothing." She forces a smile.

"Jacinda Rose Matthews...do not lie to me." She sighs and looks back at her phone.

"I think Bobby's in trouble..." She bites her lip, trying to fight off her emotions. "And I think Gary is trying to save him..." She blinks rapidly a few times, trying to stop the tears. She meets Chelsea's eyes. "I don't think he can." Chelsea pulls her in for a hug. 

"Hey, hey, hey." She lets the tears fall. "Hun, it's okay. Tell me what happened." She recounted the whole conversation with Gary, telling her everything...even what she heard with Bobby.

"Has Miles said anything? Did you know about this?" Chelsea sighs and looks down at her hands.

"I knew Miles and him were having issues...and I might've known he's been living the party lifestyle a bit more." 

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

"Well no."

"Why? Why wouldn't you tell me?"

"Because, you're moving on with your life and I didn't want him to stop that. And I didn't think it was that bad. Miles was really vague about it."

"But you still didn't tell me anything is my point. You hid it from me."

"Because I know you. You have this undeniable need to fix everything and I didn't want you to try and fix him. You tried once and it left you broken, you're just now starting to be Jace again. I didn't want you to get involved." 

"How is that your choice?"

"It's not my choice. But I just don't want to see you get hurt anymore."

"That's not up to you. It's up to me. What else are you hiding from me?" She looks to the side before looking down. "Chelsea."

"All I know is he's been sleeping around a lot. We stopped talking about him when him and Miles got into it."

"Into it? Like fighting? About what?"

"About you."

"What?"

"Miles told him he was dumb for giving you up for a bunch of hoes who don't give a shit. He gave up a good woman who loved him to get drunk every night. Bobby told him to fuck off and some other rude things I prefer not to repeat. Miles said he couldn't watch him follow in his dad's footsteps and told him to call him when he was done being stupid. They haven't talked since."

"What about Bobby's grandma? She got to him before, has she talked to him?"

"I don't know. She hadn't when Miles last talked to him." Jace rubs her face.

"What the fuck? He knows he can't do shit like that, addiction runs in his family. He has an addicting personality. He can't drink like that. Does he not care anymore? About anything?" Chelsea doesn't respond. "I need to go clear my head before my date tonight. I need to go relax." She stands up. "Talk to you later, Chels." She walks out, shutting the door behind her. 

********

She sits at her vanity, staring at her reflection. Her makeup was done, hair done, dressed and ready to go. She looks at the clock on her bedside table, sighing. She closes her eyes, groaning. 

"Fuck me." She stands up, grabbing a bag. "Son of a bitch. Goddamn it." She throws some clothes into the bag quickly. She calls her parents as she runs downstairs. "I've got to go out of town for a few days. She pretty much stays there now but keep an eye on Hazel for me? I don't know when I'll be back. Thanks, Mom. I love you too." She hangs up grabbing her passport from the office. As she's finishes packing she calls her date. "Hey...I hate to do this...I really _really_ do. I need to reschedule. Something came up and a friend of mine is in trouble. I have to go help him. I promise I'm fine but I'll be gone a few days. Yeah, I'll call you later. Okay, bye." She groans as she grabs her stuff, driving to the airport. "I swear I fucking hate him." 

********

Gary sighs when someone knocks on the door. 

"Who the hell is that? Is he calling them two at a time now? He has one in there already." He opens the door, his jaw dropping. "Jace??? What the fuck are you doing here?" She pushes past him inside.

"You know damn well why I'm here. I'm not fucking playing games anymore."

"Jace, wait." She turns and looks at him, he sees her eyes are red. His face softens. "Jace...you shouldn't be doing this. I didn't want this for you."

"Everyone else needs to stop deciding this for me. I make my own choices. I chose to do this and I'm doing it. Grab some goddamn towels and have your keys in your hand. You might need a first aid kit too."

"What are you going to do to him??"

"At this point I might kill him. Which room?" He looks at her, not saying anything. "Gary, I will bust down every goddamn door if I have to. Which. Room." 

"You don't want to go in there." She looks at him for a long time.

"He's not alone is he?" Gary shakes his head. "Which room?" He rubs his neck.

"The second one down the hallway on the left." She goes in the kitchen, grabbing a pitcher and filling it with water. "Jacinda..." She turns off the faucet, storming to his room.

"It's time for a wake up call." She opens the door, seeing a blonde women straddling him, kissing him. She sees red, dumping the water on them. "Get the fuck out." They pull apart, both of them freezing. He stares at her, his face going pale. "Don't make me repeat myself. Kick rocks before I drag you by your hair." The girl grabs her clothes and runs out. She slams the door shut and turns to Bobby, anger pulsing through her.

"What the fuck, Jacinda?!?"

"Don't you dare what the fuck me! Are you stupid? What the fuck are you doing??"

"You saw what I was doing..." She throws the pitcher at him.

"That's not what I meant, idiot. I don't care who you fuck."

"Then why are you yelling at me?!"

"Because you're going to get yourself killed! I'm not gonna sit on the sidelines and watch you destroy your life. Get up."

"What??? Why?? What are you even talking about??" She groans and picks up a shoe, throwing it at him.

"You're going to drink yourself to death, dumbass."

"No I'm not! I'm fine, I have it under control." She takes off her heel, throwing it at him. "Stop throwing shit at me!"

"No! Not until you wake the fuck up!"

"What is your deal??" She takes off her other shoe, throwing at him. 

"I hate you! That's my deal! I hate you and I hate that I hate you."

"What?" She punches the wall hard, making a hole.

"Fuck! I hate you so much. But not you. And I hate that I hate you because I don't want to but I do. I hate that I still fucking care about you. I hate that I just flew here to save your dumbass. But I couldn't stay home and let you do this. This drinking is going to kill you. You know you can't drink like this. You know addiction runs in your family. Why are you drinking like this?" He doesn't say anything. "Nah, you don't get to shut down anymore." He shrugs.

"I want to, that's why." She walks over and smacks the side of his head. "OW!! Stop hitting me!"

"Not until you open your goddamn eyes and cut the bullshit! Cut the shit with me, Bobby."

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want to know what's going on?? Why are you doing this to yourself? To Gary? To Miles? Why??"

"Because for the time being it helped, alright? There, now get out of my room." She grabs his face, forcing him to look at her. She spoke softer.

"No. I know there's something wrong and I want to know what it is. I want to know why you thought this was better than whatever else you were dealing with. I know you better than that." Her eyes soften a little. "This is me you're talking to. Me. I know more about you than most people and you know you don't have to hide anything. I promised I wouldn't walk away when you were suffering and I never break a promise." He looks at her for a long time.

"It started because of you. Because I couldn't stop thinking about you and all I wanted was to just talk to you. And then I ran into my dad. I saw him for the first time since my mum died. He stuck around for a couple weeks and then left. Again. And now all I think about is you and my mum. Now all I do is think of how much of a fuck up I am." She sighs and lets go of his face. He looks away, avoiding her eyes.

"What do you think I did when you left? Did you think I drank myself into oblivion? No. I felt the pain and then picked myself up again. Because I know there is no other choice. This-" She points to the empty bottles. "This is just a band aid you put over a gash. It's temporary, it won't fix anything." She puts a hand on his cheek, making him look at her again. "I can't fix you, Gary can't fix you, Miles can't fix you. You can fix you. I can't tell you how because I'm not you. But this won't fix you." She grabs her shoes and walks out the door. She looks at Gary. "Give him the towels and then drive me to Nan's. We don't need the first aid kit this time." She walks to the kitchen, grabbing some frozen peas. She sits on the counter, placing it on her hand. A minute later Gary walks into the kitchen.

"What happened?"

"I punched a hole in your wall...sorry." He raises his eyebrows. "I had already thrown both heels at him and didn't want to punch him." He leans against the counter.

"Why exactly are you wearing heels again? More specifically why are you dressed like that?" 

"I was going to go on a date...I cancelled and packed a bag."

"Why didn't you change?"

"I didn't think to put clothes in my carry on. And then once we landed I got pissed again and forgot." He takes the peas off her hand, examining it.

"It doesn't look broken."

"Nah, I'll be fine." He looks at her, sadness in his eyes. 

"Jace...why are you doing this to yourself?" She shrugs, her eyes stinging.

"I'm a sucker for pain." She forces a smile and gets off the counter. "Can we go, please?" He nods and takes her to his truck. They didn't talk the rest of the ride.


	21. September 1, 2020

She walks in their apartment, finding Gary in the kitchen.

"How was he last night?" He shrugs.

"Quiet."

"Did he drink?" 

"I don't know. I haven't seen him, he didn't come out."

"Got any coffee?"

"Why? You're not gonna dump that on him, are you? That's too much." She smiles.

"No. I want some coffee. I'm waiting right here until he stops hiding. He forgets I'm stubborn as fuck and will sit here as long as I need to." She sits at the bar, crossing her legs.

"How's your hand?"

"Sore, but that's expected. I mean I did punch a wall." He smiles.

"I've never seen you so pissed before. I don't want to see that again."

"Oh, be careful. I'm mad you lied to me. I'd say to my face but it was on the phone. So you lied to my metaphorical face."

"I was just trying to do what's best for you."

"And I appreciate it, but let me decide what's best for me. I asked you like three times and you kept lying. I knew it was him when you hesitated."

"I hesitated for like half a second!"

"That was still long enough to tell me I was right. And I knew it was him when I heard the glass and you said something about his hand. He's not _that_ clumsy."

"Yeah, I didn't hide that one very well."

"Let's not forget your horrible friend excuse."

"What was wrong with that? I thought I did pretty good."

"You take your job very seriously. You're all about safety and making sure the right people are operating the cranes. There's no way you'd let someone drunk anywhere near one. You'd immediately take it to your supervisor."

"Shit, I didn't think that one through."

"I'm not here to win him back or beg him to take me back."

"Why did you come?"

"I came because I'm not losing anyone else to this. He's not gonna drown himself while I sit by and watch."

"I just don't want you to drown yourself trying to save him."

"I'll pull back when it gets to be too much. But it's not yet. He needs someone to open his eyes. He's broken more than before and I'm the reason for that. I can't let him suffer."

"But what about that one lad?"

"Who?"

"The guy you had a date with. Is he okay with you coming here? Is it even that serious for him to be worried?" She sighs.

"It's Lucas. He doesn't know I came to yell at Bobby, but he knows I came to help someone...I just didn't say it was Bobby."

"Would he be okay with this?"

"I don't know. We haven't talked about Bobby. I'm not ready to."

********

Bobby looks around his room, rubbing his face.

"Did that really happen last night? Or was that a dream?" He saw the hole in the wall, frowning. Then he heard her laugh, making him freeze. He slowly gets out of bed, walking to his door. He peeks out, hearing her talking to Gary. _**She's actually here....**_ He walks out into the hallway, stopping at the entrance. She's smiling at Gary, nodding her head. She looks over and sees him, her smile slowly fading. For a long time they just look at each other. "What...what are you doing here?"

"I came to stop you before you're too far gone."

"But...why?"

"Because no matter what no one deserves to suffer alone. Robbie was right, I abandoned you when you needed me." He looks at her hand, seeing the cuts and bruises. "Yes, I really did punch the wall. What else do you remember?" He blushes. "Yeah, I saw your half naked friend too. And if your head hurts it's because I kept throwing shoes at you." He meets her eyes. She smiles and shrugs. "It worked the first time, I thought it might work this time. Except the first one didn't so I had to keep trying." He smiles and shakes his head. 

"I just don't get it."

"You will when you clear your mind. Go take a shower, we're going somewhere." He stands there a minute. "It's nothing like that. But I need to show you something." He sighs and goes to take a shower. When he comes out she has her shoes on again. She turns to him and smiles. "Now you look like yourself again." She turns to Gary kissing his cheek. "Nan says come over for dinner." 

"I forget you two are literal family sometimes." Gary smiles.

"We get that a lot." He looks back at Jace. "I'll be there."

"Okay, we'll see you soon." They walk outside, getting in her rental truck.

"What's with you and trucks? Even here you're driving one." She smiles.

"It's the country girl in me. Besides, I don't think I could drive a car. I'm too used to driving big trucks." They're quiet the rest of the drive. They pull down a dirt road, turning onto a long driveway. 

"Where are we going?" She thinks a moment, the house coming into sight.

"One thing I never told you was that I once lived here." 

"When?"

"When I was 11. My parents convinced grandma to let me go with them for a night...but they ran. I didn't know it until we got here though." She stops in front of the house. "This is the house we lived in." He looked up at it, the windows were dirty, the yard needed mowed, the roof needed repaired, the siding needed fixed. She gets out, motioning him to follow. She unlocks the door, remembering how to shuffle the doorknob and bump it with her hip to open it. They go inside, looking around. Some furniture was still there, covered in dust. The walls were dirty, some holes were patched, some left open. Some of the furniture was broken. 

"Is this..."

"Our furniture? Yeah, it is. Leaving didn't exactly go as planned. It's pretty obvious what the holes are from. My parents fought a lot..." She walked around the room, her childhood suffering hanging over her like a coat. She sniffles and clears her throat. They walked through the house, room by room. Finding more holes, dust, and broken furniture. They make it to her room, the only room without broken furniture and holes in the wall.

"Why does this room have no holes or broken stuff?"

"Because this is my room. The only room my parents stayed out of. This is where I went when they started one of their fights." She shows him the door. "But that doesn't mean they didn't try." He sees the dents in the door.

"Did they try to break it down?"

"Yeah, a few times. Not actually break it down but beat the hell out of it." She walks over to the run down dresser, picking up a picture frame. She shows it to him. A little blonde girl with hazel eyes smiled back. Beside her was a little blonde boy with bright blue eyes. 

"Is this you and Gary?"

"Yeah. I'm surprised it's still here. I hated leaving it behind." He gives her a curious look. "Like I said. Leaving didn't exactly go as planned." She opened some of the drawers, some clothes still there. 

"What happened when you left?" She smiled at him and walked out the room. 

"I'll show you." They walk into another bedroom, the entire room completely destroyed. She walked around the room, hugging herself tightly. He fought the urge to hug her. "My last night here was one hell of a night. My parents were coming off another binge. They were fighting for what seemed like hours. They just kept going at it, yelling and hitting each other. I finally had enough and came out of my room. I screamed for them to stop, they quit yelling and looked at me. I let em have it. I told them off and got it all off my chest. I told them I hated them, that their fighting makes me hate them. That them disappearing makes me hate them. They tried to give me the normal excuses but I told them that didn't work anymore. I was done. I wanted to go home."

"So they took you home?" She shakes her head.

"The house got raided when they started fighting again. Except they were fighting about me that time. Someone made an anonymous tip to the authorities about their drug use. They raided our house and my parents got arrested on a number of charges. The anonymous tip didn't know I was here and Nan covered for us and said I was visiting England but staying with her."

"Why did she cover for them?"

"She didn't want them to go to prison for kidnapping. She's my dad's mom, so she didn't want her son to lose his last chance for a better life." He studied her face, seeing the hidden pain.

"Why did we come here?"

"I wanted you to see what I came from. What I went through. What I survived. If I can survive this you can survive everything you feel too. The stuff with your dad....and...us. Without drinking." He looks down, chewing on his lip. **_I don't want to get through us. I want there to be an us..._**

"How did you deal with...us?" She hugs herself tighter, biting her cheek to stop from crying.

"I don't think we should go there yet."

"Why?" He looked up again, seeing the pain in her face. **_She's not through it..._**

"I don't think we should talk about us. Not yet." She tries to hide her sniffle with a light cough. He slowly walked up to her, stopping himself from taking her hand. 

"Jace? Are you okay?" She looks at him, smiling.

"You're the one that almost drank yourself into oblivion and you're asking me if I'm okay?" He gives her the half smile that always made her heart pound. 

"You flew across the ocean to throw shoes at me. The least I can do is stop you from crying." She chuckles.

"Maybe that shoe thing does work." He looked into her eyes, his heart aching. He tucks a piece of hair behind her ear, making her blush.

"I guess it does." She clears her throat.

"I think you need to call Miles and fix this. He misses you and he's about to go through a big change that he'll need you for." He frowns.

"Is he okay?" 

"Call him and find out." He watches her walk out of the room, leaving him alone. He takes out his phone, calling Miles.

"Hello?"

"Hey..."

"Hey..."

"Long time no talk."

"That's kind of what don't call me means."

"Right..."

"Why are you calling?" He sighs.

"I'm done being stupid. Or rather Jace threw water on me and threw shoes at me until I was done being stupid." 

"Wait what?" He smiles.

"Jace came here and threw a pitcher of water on me. She also scared off this other lass I was...with. And she threw shoes at me. She said it worked the first time so she thought it might work this time. Except it didn't work the first time so she had to keep trying." Miles laughs softly.

"She's a fiery one, I'll give you that. I'm glad she got through to you though. She was a last resort."

"Did I really take it that far?"

"Mate, one minute I'm looking at my best friend and the next I'm looking at his dad. You almost went there. And fast. I didn't think someone could destroy their life in a matter of weeks. We didn't want to drag her into this but I couldn't get through to you. I guess Gary couldn't either, otherwise Jace wouldn't be there."

"I'm really sorry for anything I said or did to you."

"You didn't really do anything to me, you did it to yourself and I couldn't watch it anymore."

"I'm sorry. I hope we can still be friends."

"Duh. I was never not your friend. I just...stepped back for a while." 

"So we're cool?"

"Yes. We're cool. Now can I tell you my news?"

"Duh, that's what besties are for." Miles laughs.

"There he is! Okay so....Chelsea's pregnant." 

"What?!"

"Chelsea's pregnant. We're having a baby. Mate...I'm gonna be a dad." 

"No fucking way!! Are you serious!?! Congratulations!! Oh my God!!!" He hears something behind him, turning to see Jace leaning against the doorway, smiling at him. **_God I missed that smile._** "They're having a baby!! Chelsea and Miles are having a baby!!!" She laughs and nods.

"I know. I was there when Chelsea found out."

"This is amazing! Our best mates are having a kid!!" Miles laughs again.

"Alright, while you get through that I've got to get back to work. I'll talk to you soon, Bobby."

"Yeah, alright."

"Hey...am I on speaker."

"No." 

"Good. She still loves you. She's dating but it's not serious. You have a shot, take it and don't fuck up this time." Bobby looks down at the ground, clearing his throat.

"Yeah...I don't think so."

"Why?" He looks back at Jace, she nods and walks back out.

"She doesn't want to talk about us. If she won't talk about it, we won't go there. And if she's happy with this other lad then...she needs to be happy." Miles sighs.

"Okay. If you think so."

"Right. Well I'll let you go."

"Okay. Later, mate."

"Later." He hangs up and looks around the room. **_Why has she never told me about this? How did she survive this?_** He walks out to the living room, looking out the open door. She was standing outside, facing the sun. The wind blowing her hair gently behind her. **_I definitely still love her. Why did I have to go fuck it up?_** He walks out side, slowly approaching her. "You look thoughtful." She looks at him, flashing a small smile.

"I guess I am."

"What're you thinking about?" She looks out at the empty fields by the house. 

"Trying to figure out what to do with this place. I thought about tearing it down...but I can't get myself to do it."

"What, do you own it?"

"Yeah. I heard the old owner was gonna tear it down and sell the land. So I bought it." 

"Why?"

"I don't know. I wasn't ready to let it go yet." She looks at him. "I seem to have a problem letting go." She walks back towards the truck. "Lets go, Scotsman." He smiles and gets in the truck.

********

She stops in front of their building, putting in park. He stops and looks at her.

"So...now what?" She chews on her lip.

"With?"

"Pretty much everything. You being here, us, Chelsea and Miles, Gary, Lucas." She blushes.

"I...did not know you knew about him." He sighs.

"Our whole group of mates are mates with both of us. Of course I was gonna find out...but I'm not mad." She looks at him confused.

"I've been...I...you are free to do whatever you want to do. You don't owe me anything, you don't need to tiptoe around me. I've made a shit ton of mistakes the past couple months but I just...had a lapse of judgement. I regret every single one of them but I made them and I need to take responsibility for them. I ended it and that means you have the right to do whatever with whoever. Don't feel like you have to hide things from me. Because if anything I want to at least be friends. We kind of have to at this point. Our best friends are having a kid." She smiles.

"You have a point there." She leans her head back. "How did we get here? How did everything get so messed up?"

"I'm a dumbass...at least that's what everyone tells me." She laughs.

"You got me there. I've only been called stubborn not stupid."

"So I'm the dumbass and you're the stubborn lass?"

"Nice rhyme."

"I like to use rhythm and rhyme to sort my thoughts." She laughs loudly.

"Tell me you're not mocking Izzie's older brother." He laughs.

"Rocco? Definitely. Who freaking says shit like that?"

"A hippie pothead."

"He was definitely a hippie pothead." She smiles at him. "We have a lot to figure out, huh?"

"Aye...it seems our lives have become all kinds of fucked up...you're welcome." She laughs and gently pushes him.

"Yes, Bobby. Thank you so much for turning our worlds upside down." He smiles.

"Any time." She chuckles.

"Really though...thank you."

"For what? Breaking your heart? Ruining our lives? Making you fly all the way here just to throw some shoes at me?" She smiles.

"Oddly, yes." He touches her forehead.

"Do you have a fever or something? I'm a little concerned, lass. No one thanks you for hurting them. Stick out your tongue, you got a sore throat?" She giggles and swats his arm.

"I'm not sick, hun. But I didn't think I'd survive you leaving...and I did. You showed me I'm a lot stronger than I thought. And...you might've been right about some stuff..."

"Like...?"

"Like how hard it would've been to say goodbye. I still don't think you should've left like that...but you were right about it being hard to let go. And you were right about the moving here thing. I can't pick up and leave. Those kids need me...and one specifically needs you." He bites his lip, looking down.

"How is he?"

"Bobby...you broke him more than you did me. He's crushed and feels hopeless right now. He needs you. His grandma calls me all the time...he's just getting worse. He's starting fights at school now."

"Goddamn it. Why do I never think about other people when I do shit?"

"Because you grew up watching out for yourself. It's hard to change that."

"You did."

"I'm different. I'm what Lottie calls a healer or whatever. Which she's right...exhibit A." She waves her hand at him, smiling. He laughs.

"That's cold, lass." Her phone rings, gaining her attention. He reads the screen, his smile fading. The sinking feeling coming back to him. She blushes and turns it over. He forces a smile and shakes his head. "It's okay, I need to go in anyway. Answer him, I'm sure he's worried about you." He gets out of the truck before she can say anything. She sighs and answers it.

"Hey, Lucas."

"Jace! How are you doing today? You sounded really upset last time I talked to you."

"Yeah, a friend of mine is going through some stuff. He needed some help."

"Is he okay?"

"He will be."

"Well, where are you? I'll come pick you up."

"Uh...I had to go to the UK."

"The UK? Who do you...oh....is this friend Bobby?" She bites her lip.

"Nope, someone else I know. I do have family here and shit."

"That's true. I forgot about that, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. No worries."

"Well, let me know when you come home."

"Okay. I will."

"Text you later?"

"Yeah, sounds good."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye." She hangs up...looking at her background. "What am I doing these days? Why did I just lie to him? We aren't exclusive or anything? Why do I feel like this is wrong?" She looks at the boys apartment, sighing. "I probably shouldn't have come here...but I had to. Right?" She rests her head on her steering wheel. "Fuck, this is definitely gonna cause issues."


	22. September 3, 2020

Jace walks between the boys downtown, stopping in front of an ice cream shop. She turns to them.

"Can we get ice cream?" Gary shakes his head.

"You won't eat dinner and then Nan is gonna get pissed."

"I'll eat dinner! I promise." Gary shakes his head. She sticks her lip out and pouts. "No, don't give me that face, Jace." She bats her eyelashes, making Bobby smile. Gary groans. "Fiiiine." Bobby laughs.

"You're such a sucker for that face. You give in every time." She turns to him, raising an eyebrow.

"I seem to remember when someone else couldn't say no to me." He blushes.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She smiles and walks up to him.

"Oh really? What about that time when we were at my place and-" He puts his hand on her mouth, biting his lip. 

"Let's not go there. Two can play at that game. There's a lot of times you couldn't say no to me." She blushes. "Mhmm." He removes his hand. "Kick rocks is what you like to say." She rolls her eyes, heading inside. Gary frowns at them.

"This is such a weird dynamic now. I don't know how I feel about this." They sit down with their ice cream when a familiar blonde approaches Bobby. She smiles and bites her lip.

"Hey, Bobby." His eyes go wide.

"Uhh.....hi." Jace arches an eyebrow at her. 

"I was thinking I should come over tonight and we should finish what we started." She glares at Jace. "Before we were interrupted." Gary stares between the three of them, his mouth hanging open. 

"Uhh..I don't think-" Jace looks the blonde in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, there wasn't much to interrupt. You're just a nameless bimbo to pass time until he pulled his head out of his ass." 

"At least he's interested in me."

"Oh, hun. You thought he was interested in you?" Gary clears his throat.

"Uh, you might wanna go-"

"Babes, using you for sex doesn't mean he had interest in you. It means he had interest in the fact you're legs were so open you could attach a sail to your ankles and catch enough wind you could sail across the Atlantic ocean." Gary tries to stop his laugh, failing.

"Oh shit. I tried to warn you." 

"Girl, please. That's why he had me half naked in his room while you were in America."

"Oh figured that out did ya? Most be so hard to figure out these days."

"I could say it was the accent, but it was the hillbilly attitude you have." Gary covers his mouth.

"Bobby, move. She called her a hillbilly." Bobby just stares between the two of them. Jace smirks and stands up, walking to Bobby's side of the table.

"This hillbilly is the one he actually wanted to be with. I've had him say my name more times than you've had a dick in your mouth, which by the looks of it is a lot. Your clothes scream prostitute." Bobby stands up between them.

"Oookay. Lets just take a step back." 

"I bet he doesn't even remember your name." The blonde rolls her eyes.

"Even if he doesn't he still remembers me." She winks at Bobby. Jace frowns and glares at her.

"You better getting stepping before I stick my foot so far up your ass you're gonna need a dentist to fix your goddamn teeth." Bobby stares at her in shock. She pulls him behind her gently, coming face to face with the blonde. He takes her hand, tangling their fingers together.

"Lass?" He tugs gently. She squeezes his hand. "Come here, it's not worth it." He steps back, gently pulling her to him. She glares at the girl, letting him wrap his arms around her waist from behind. She relaxes into his arms. "You don't need to be getting in trouble. The kids need you." The girls eyes widen.

"Kids? Oh I'm not getting into this. Hell no." She looks at Gary. "What about you? You're cute." Jace goes to step forward, Bobby tightens his grip around her waist.

"Back off my brother. He has a girlfriend and he doesn't sleep with sluts." The girl flinches when Jace tries to step towards her again. She turns and walks off quickly, Jace smirks at her. Gary busts out laughing, making Jace and Bobby smile.

"Oh my God, Jace. We can't take you anywhere. And since when did I become your brother?" She shrugs.

"I don't like hoes. Brother is a better way to describe our relationship and it gives me more advantage on who can and can't flirt with you." Bobby shakes his head.

"I never thought I'd see you try to fight another woman." She blushes, remembering she was in his arms.

"Try not to sleep around anymore, yeah? I don't wanna keep scaring these chicks off." He slowly unwraps his arms from around her, sitting back down. She clears her throat and sits back down, picking up her ice cream. "Aww, dealing with hoe bag number one made me let my ice cream start melting." Gary shakes his head.

"Oh no, the poor ice cream." She starts licking it, the vanilla ice cream dripping on her chin. "Bet that looks familiar, Bobby." Bobby blushes and clears his throat looking away.

"Honestly, no." He raises his eyebrows. "She, uh, does the other thing." He scratches his head and looks away. "Anyway, uh, when do you two need to go to your Nan's?" Gary rolls his eyes. 

"Why? Wanna call hoe bag number one over?" Jace squints her eyes at him.

"Please tell me that's not why." He smiles at her.

"Jealous? What's it matter who I call?" She snatches his phone off the table, her smile fading when she sees his background. She frowns slightly, holding it up. 

"When did you take this?" It was a picture of her reading in bed, wearing one of his shirts. He blushes. 

"Uh, Family Day when we were at your flat that night. Can I have my phone back? I'll show you I deleted all their numbers." She hesitates, a small frown still on her face. She hands him his phone back, turning back to her ice cream. Gary sighs.

"So, who wants to go out? I don't feel like drinking but I feel like going out." Jace clears her throat and looks at him.

"Yeah, sounds good. I'm gonna go see if Nan wants help with dinner. I'll see y'all at dinner." Bobby looks at her. "Nan says you're coming to dinner or she'll kick your ass. She's worried about you." She gets up, walking out. Bobby watches her walk away. Gary sucks through his teeth, tapping the table.

"Soo....how are you?" Bobby turns back around, looking at him.

"I don't know what to do. I don't know what she wants. All I know is holding her was easily the best thing that's happened this month...even though it was only holding her back from fighting some bird, whose name I don't even remember." Gary smiles at him and sighs.

"Gotta say...I missed this." 

"You missed me being confused and slightly miserable?"

"Only slightly miserable?"

"Yeah, for now. Its been great hanging out with her again...I really missed her. But she's single and I bet some lad is gonna be all over her..."

"So? Jace isn't the one night stand type. To her sex is more than just sex. It means you care about someone. The only times she's had one night stands is when she has no headspace for a relationship and she needs to get laid."

"Which is probably where she is right now. She doesn't want to date and she's pretty damn stressed." Gary purses his lips.

"Good point." 

"Exactly. What's gonna stop her from leaving with someone else tonight?"

"You."

"Did you not just see her face just now?"

"Did you not just see how she almost kicked a random birds ass for grafting on you?"

"...does that mean she still has feelings for me?" Gary groans, throwing his hands up.

"Bloody hell, Bobby. Of course she has feelings for you. Contrary to what anyone thinks, she wouldn't fly out here for just anybody. The only time she puts her life on hold to help someone is if they mean a lot to her. And since it's you...after seeing her after everything...I have no doubt she still has feelings for you."

"See everyone except her keeps saying that. But she's not showing me anything to tell me she wants me."

"Because you hurt her. She's scared to get hurt again. She gave you everything and it ended badly. You need to remind her why you fell for each other in the first place. You need to show her you're done fucking around. You have to be willing to give this a real shot." He furrows his eyebrows. 

"But how?" He thinks a minute, smiling. 

"What's the first thing you two bonded over? The first thing that really brought you together, that showed her who you were." He thinks a long time.

"I got nothing. I have no clue why she chose me." 

"Damn you make everything hard." Bobby smiles. 

"Fuck off, Gaz." Gary throws a napkin at him.

********

Gary sits next to Bobby, handing him a drink at the table in the pub. 

"So...your Nan was interesting tonight."

"Yeah...I kind of expected her to give you the don't throw your life away talk."

"Me too. Still wasn't ready for it." Gary smiles.

"No one ever is. But you handled it like a champ." He looks at his drink for a moment. "She approves you know."

"Approves of what?"

"You and Jace. She thinks you're perfect together." He sighs.

"Gary..." He looks up, noticing Jace walking over to them. His heart pounds at the sight of her. She wore a dark purple halter crop top with black skinny jeans. Her belly button ring sparkled in the light, hardly any makeup on. She meets his eyes, smiling. "How does she do that?" Gary turns and sees her walking over, looking back at Bobby and smiling. She approaches their table.

"Evening, boys. Miss me?"

"I think Bobby did." Bobby looks away, blushing.

"Hey, look at that picture right there. What is that? It looks like a ship maybe? What do you think?" Jace smiles at him, shaking her head. 

"I'm gonna go grab a drink." She walks up to the bar.

"What is the matter with you? Why would you say that?"

"It's true."

"So? You don't tell her that! I'm trying to give her space." They look back at the bar, seeing a guy standing beside her, obviously grafting. She laughed at something he said, Bobby's chest starting to ache again. He bites his lip and stands up. 

"Where are you going?" 

"Home." He walks out without looking back. 

"Bobby!" He turns and sees Jace standing there, looking at him. "Where are you going?"

"I'm not feeling well. I think it's just being tired from the past few days, I'm gonna go home and go to bed." She looks at him a moment.

"You can't stay for a few more minutes?" He clears his throat, looking down.

"Uh, better not. I should really get some sleep." She studies his face. _**Why does he look like he's in pain? Did Gary say something?**_

"What's wrong?"

"I told you, I don't feel good."

"Bobby..." He shrugs.

"What? I'm just tired, I'll be fine." She walks up to him slowly. 

"Bobby...look at me." He chews on his lip.

"I need to go." He turns to walk away. She grabs his arm, stopping him. 

"Talk to me." 

"About what?"

"About what's bothering you." He forces a smile, looking at her.

"Nothing. I'm fine." She sighs and takes his hand, electricity sparking from her touch. He looks down at their hands, his heart aching. "Jace...I need to go." _**It's me. He's hurting because of me. But why? Why won't he just tell me what he wants to tell me? Why is he avoiding me?**_ She shakes her head.

"No."

"I wasn't really asking."

"Too bad. You're not leaving yet. Not until you talk to me." She gently pulls him closer to her, her sweet lilac perfume reminding him of every moment he spent with her. "Is it me?" He just looks down, not saying anything. "You've been locking yourself away since I got here. Stop shutting me out."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She touches his cheek softly, turning his face to look at her. He meets her eyes, making his heart ache more. 

"Please." He shakes his head.

"I can't."

"Why?" He sighs.

"Because it hurts."

"Sometimes you have to let the pain out or it won't go away."

"I don't want it to go away..." 

"Why?"

"Because if it goes away then it means there'll never be a chance of us again." She just looks into his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm not asking you or anything. I know you said you weren't ready to talk about us... but you wanted to know." 

"Then lets talk about it."

"We don't have to, we don't need to. It's fine, you're not ready." She shakes her head.

"No it's not fine. Not for me." He looks down at his feet. She sighs and pulls out her phone, holding it out for him.

"What?" 

"Take it."

"Why?"

"Turn it on." He hesitantly takes it, tapping the screen. It lights up, revealing a picture of him as her background. 

"What...why?"

"Being apart for a few months doesn't mean I stopped having feelings. Yeah, I'm hurt. I'm slowly healing but not the way I want to. I saw it the minute you saw me. Every time you look at me I see it."

"But I don't...not when you look at me."

"Because you're locking yourself away. You won't let yourself see it. I still love you. Yeah I've been telling everyone else that there's no chance of us, and I think I meant it. But seeing you now...it's hard not being with you. I'm confused about a lot of things, even us. But I do know that I still love you." She steps closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "What do you feel when we're close?" He looks into her eyes, his nerves taking over.

"I'm not good with words." She stands on her tippy toes.

"Then don't tell me." He put a hand on her cheek, rubbing it softly with his thumb. He leans down, kissing her gently. She kisses him back, holding him closer. She wraps her arms around his neck, he wraps his arms around her waist. He pulls back slowly, leaning his head against hers.

"What are you doing to me, lass?" She smiles.

"Reminding you why you chose me."

"Shouldn't I be reminding you why you chose me?"

"I don't need to be reminded. You've been so busy punishing yourself you didn't stop to think why you missed me so much." He hugs her tightly.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you, I'm sorry I left, I'm sorry for all the dumb shit I said, I'm sorry for sleeping with those other girls...I'm sorry for not letting you decide what you wanted from this."

"I know you are. It's okay." She looks into his eyes, smiling. She runs her thumb across his lip. "I missed you. I missed this." He smiles. "There's my pastry chef that I know and love." He kisses her gently. 

"Can I be yours...like for real?"

"You want to?" He nods.

"I never wanna lose you again." She bites her lip, nodding.

"Yeah. You can." She leans into his chest, resting her head against him. "Only if you promise not to run away again. I don't like living without you. I can but I don't want to. So you have to promise it's me and you on this. You have to promise not to hurt me again." He kisses the top pf her head, holding her closer.

"I promise. I won't be that stupid again." She smiles at him.

"Good. Now lets go, we left Gary alone." She takes his hand, leading him back into the pub. Gary smiles at them.

"Are we good?" Jace smiles at him.

"We're great." Bobby sits down, pulling her into his lap. He holds her close, afraid to let go. Gary lets out a sigh of relief.

"Thank God. I was getting exhausted hearing it from both of you. You two are fucking stubborn. Neither of you wanted to tell the other how much you missed each other and I was about to tell both of you." Bobby laughs.

"We just needed time. It took us time last time too."

"Please tell me this is the last time."

"I hope so."

********

"I'll be right back. I need to go to the restroom. I mean the loo." She sticks her tongue out at the boys. Bobby watches her walk away. 

"I have never met anyone so damn perfect before." Gary let's out another sigh of relief. 

"The world almost feels right again." 

"It feels right to me. At least for now...until she leaves."

"No, no, no. Don't start that shit."

"Oh I'm not breaking up with her this time. I'm not that stupid. Give me some credit."

"I didn't think you were that stupid last time either!"

"Good point. But I promise. This time I'm not fucking it up." Gary frowns at something behind him, making him look back. Jace was at the front of the hallway leading to the bathrooms. A different guy flirting with her. He was standing way too close for Bobby's comfort and by the look on her face, Jace's comfort. She smiles nervously, trying to step around. He moves in front of her, blocking her path. He stands up, walking up to her. "Hey, babe." He wraps his arms around her from behind, kissing her cheek. He looks at the guy. "I'm not even gonna come up with something clever to say. This is my girlfriend and you're clearly making her uncomfortable. Fuck off. And if that doesn't scare you off, look at her brother over there. He's the guy with huge muscles, glaring at you." He looks back and sees Gary. "Oh, and he's also my best mate. I think you should go now." Jace smirks at the guy, leaning into Bobby. The guys scoffs and walks away. She giggles and looks up at Bobby.

"My hero." He kisses her softly.

"Nah, just protective...and a little jealous. You're mine." She blushes.

"Maybe I should go see if that guy is okay. Maybe give him a hug." He frowns.

"That's not funny." She shrugs.

"What? I think you hurt his feelings. I'm going to go check on him." She takes a step forward, smiling when Bobby pulls her back to him. 

"Remember what happened last time you did that?"

"Maybe that's the point..." She stands on her tippy toes. "I think I need a reminder now of why I chose you." He kisses her softly, the passion quickly growing. She bites his lip, making him moan.

"That's gonna have to wait. We're in public." She sighs.

"Fiiine." He smiles. 

"We have all night, why rush?" She blushes and clears her throat.

"Let's go see what Gary's doing." 

*******

Jace walks between the boys, holding Bobby's hand as they walk outside. Gary turns to them.

"I will see you two when I see you. I need to go call Katrina. She's working late so it's been a bad day." Jace smiles.

"Aww. That's sweet, y'all are so cute." Gary blushes.

"Ah, shut up. Now excuse me, I need to go call my girl." Jace waves him off, leading Bobby to her truck. She tosses him the keys.

"Why are you giving me the keys?"

"Cause I don't feel like driving. Plus I wanna see what you look like driving a truck." He rolls his eyes.

"You're something else, lass."

"That's why you love me." He looks into her eyes.

"More and more." She blushes. He gets inside, smiling at her. "How are you so short?? You're right up against the steering wheel!" She sticks her tongue out.

"Shut up and drive."

********

"Why here?" He looks out at the empty field she directed him to.

"It's the best place to see the stars. All the smog in Chatham makes it hard to see but we've driven out of it. Or you have. Gotta say, you look pretty hot driving a truck." He blushes, making her smile. "You're cute when you blush." He scratches the back of his head.

"So the stars, huh?" She laughs. 

"Why are you acting so nervous?" 

"Cause I am. This is the first time we've been alone since we got back together. I mean it was only like two hours ago but still. The other times...I still didn't know how you felt about me. I knew I wanted to have another chance but I didn't want you to feel forced to...which I hope is why you didn't take me back..." She leans over, resting her elbow on the center console. She looks into his eyes.

"Robert McKenzie. I did not give us another chance because I felt like I had to. I gave us another chance because I have loved you since the moment we kissed. I want to be with you because when I'm with you...I feel like I'm complete. You were the puzzle piece I didn't know was missing." He leans over, kissing her softly.

"I love you, Jay." She beams at him.

"I love you too, Bobby." She gives him a quick peck, hopping out of the truck. He smiles, biting his lip. He follows her to the bed of the truck, sitting next to her on the tailgate. She sighs, looking up. "Remember the first time we looked at the stars in my truck?" 

"I do. You wished on a star." 

"But you wouldn't."

"I was there with you, what else could I want?" She blushes.

"I wished for you. Like...all of you. I wanted you to be mine."

"You think it came true?" She nods. 

"I really do." 

"I do too." She kisses him again, wrapping her arms around his neck. He pulls her closer, his hands running up her back. She bites his lip, her hands in his hair. One of his hands lands on her hip, just under the hem of her shirt. He kisses her neck, making her moan softly. She runs her hand down his chest to his shorts, rubbing him outside of them. His hand slides up her shirt, squeezing her breast. 

"Fuck, Bobby. Don't stop." He takes that as his sign, unbuttoning her jeans. He reaches inside her pants, rubbing her outside of her panties. Her breathing quickens. She kisses him hard, pulling him closer. "Bobby please." 

"What do you want?"

"I want you to make me come." He bites her lip, moving his hand inside her panties. She moans loudly. "Fuck." He leans her back, resting her head on his arm. He moves his hand faster, making her lift her hips. Her nails dig into his shoulders. He kisses down her jaw to her shoulder, biting it gently. She moans loudly again. "I'm getting close." He slows down, making her whimper. "Please. I need to come." She holds his hand against her, grinding. He moves faster, her grip tightening on his shoulders. She bites his lip hard. 

"Fuck, lass." It doesn't take long for her to come, making her moan loudly. She moves his hand, pulling his shirt off. She bites her lip, looking at his tattoos. She pulls her shirt off, kissing him again. He grabs her bum, squeezing hard. "You drive me crazy sometimes." She unzipped his shorts, reaching inside. 

"Fuck me." He lays her down, pulling her pants down quickly. She pulls his shorts down, without breaking their kiss. He takes off her panties, forcing himself to slow down. He looks into her eyes, filled with emotion. They sparkled again as she looked at him. He smiles. "What?" He kisses her softly.

"You have the sparkle in your eyes again." She blushes.

"Because of you..." He kisses her softly, slowly entering her. She gasped softly against their kiss. He bit her lip gently, making her moan. She wraps her legs around his waist, holding him as close as she could. The intensity grew, each of them craving to be closer. He felt their souls combine. Everything about that moment made her heart pound. She loved the way he bit her lip, the way he kissed her like he loved her, the way his eyes shined when he looked at her. She loved the way he said her name, how he couldn't stop touching her and kissing her. 

"I love you, Jace." She smiles, looking into his eyes.

"I love you too, Bobby." He kisses her again, getting lost in their moments together. Her moans growing louder, his passion growing rougher. "I'm gonna come." He pins her legs back, moving deeper in her. "Fuck!" He marks her neck, pushing her over the edge. Her nails dig into his back hard.

"Fuck, Jace." She kisses him, biting his lip hard. She digs her nails into him again, pushing him over the edge. For a minute they cling to each other, trying to catch their breaths. He looks at her, studying how beautiful she looked. Her blonde hair pale on the moonlight. Her pale cheeks rosy pink. Her lips slightly swollen from all the snogging. "I love you." 

"I love you too." They get dressed, laying down in the bed of the truck. She sighs contentedly, snuggling closer. "Everything feels right again. I missed you." He lays on his side, tucking her hair behind her ear. 

"I really am sorry, lass. I promise it wasn't easy leaving you, I almost didn't. I swear I was only trying to do what I thought was best for you. It killed me leaving you. For a month I could barely sleep, I got used to having you next to me." She holds him closer, snuggling into his chest.

"I understand. I just wish everyone would let me decide what's best for me. You, Gary, Chelsea. Y'all keep hiding things and deciding things for me. I know y'all mean well but I can decide for myself."

"I know, I'm sorry. I promise from now on I'll always talk to you and let you decide."

"How about we decide about our future together?" He smiles.

"Sounds good to me, lass. As long as I can be with you." She smiles, holding him closer. _**I'm so weak when it comes to him. I really did miss this, and it feels right. But will he keep his promise not to hurt me again?**_


	23. September 5, 2020

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one gets very sexy. Really, really sexy. You've been warned. 😉❤

Bobby lays his head on her chest, wrapping his arms around her waist. She smiles, softly playing with his hair. Gary walks in and sees them cuddling on the couch.

"I don't wanna sound to feminine...but you two look really cute right now." Jace smiles at him.

"We always look cute." She looks back at the TV as Gary takes off his work boots, plopping down in the recliner. She clears her throat. "We need to talk." Bobby sits up, looking at her nervously. She giggles and coaxes him to lay back down, shaking her head. "Not that talk." He lets out a sigh of relief, cuddling back into her. "But we still have two things that are unsolved. Robbie and the distance." 

"Well, what do you wanna do? Don't say move here." She rolls her eyes.

"Babe...I'm not moving here...yet. But Dad did mention that when Mom passes he wouldn't object to coming home....." Gary gives her an unamused expression. 

"Tell me you didn't ask your dad to move here so you could be with your boyfriend."

"I swear I didn't.....he hates Bobby." Bobby looks at her and frowns.

"What?! He loved me!"

"Before you broke my heart." He purses his lips.

"Good point. Anyway, back to the issue. What do you want to do?"

"First we need to figure out Robbie. We, and by we I mean you, need to get this settled with him."

"So what are you thinking?"

"Come home with me for like a week. Or really however long you want. But come home with me and fix this with him." 

"What about my job? I was a pretty shitty worker the past few weeks and I don't think they'll be very keen on giving me off an undetermined amount of time." She frowns.

"Good point. You don't have a backup, do you?"

"Who has a back up job??"

"Uh, a well prepared person. Gary, what's your back up?"

"I have two other offers from rival companies trying to recruit me. What's yours?"

"The bar I used to work at. I'm 100% positive they'd hire me back. As for an actual career, I'd be an art teacher." 

"So everyone has a back up except me?" She smiles.

"We'll get you a back up, babe." 

"I can't just lose my job though. I need a job." Gary snaps and points.

"What about the Café we go to with the cute barista? She's mentioned a few times about hiring you." Jace frowns.

"Cute? No, he can't work there." Bobby smiles at her.

"Is someone jealous?"

"No, I'm not chancing her flirting with you and turning your head. Or you cheating on me."

"Hey, I've never been unfaithful."

"Yeah but you slept around a lot when we broke up. So now you've got all these women that know you're a good lay and will try and come back for more. If I'm not here what's going to stop you?" He looks at Gary confused.

"I'm actually interested in seeing how you handle this one." He rolls his eyes.

"What's going to stop me is I have the most beautiful woman in the world who I'm in love with. She's the most important person in my life and I'm not fucking it up for a one night stand with some sleazy girl I barely know." She smiles.

"Good answer. But we'll pray you don't have to find another job because I really don't want you working at the Café." He sighs and cuddles into her.

"Okay, I'll talk to my boss tomorrow and see what he says. Maybe you should do it. He'll see your pretty face and hot body and forget I ever fucked up." She nudges him, shaking her head with a smile. 

"What's his name? Maybe I should."

"Felix. I swear if you do he won't say a damn bad thing."

"Then we should go talk to him."

"Bet. Now what's next?" She sighs.

"Us." 

"Yeah...that's tough. I mean the obvious answer is calling and texting every chance we get like the others do. But I'm gonna really miss not being able to hold you." She gently traces shapes on his back, sending shivers up his spine. 

"Okay. You come to mine for Thanksgiving and I'll come to yours for Christmas. And then during the summer you come help out at camp. And during spring and fall I'll make a trip here. It's not as often but it's something, right?" 

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But you do realize Thanksgiving isn't a thing for us...right?" She smiles.

"I know. That's why I said come to mine for it. It's a big deal for us." He smiles at her.

"You're cute." 

********

"Good night you two. I'm gonna call Katrina before I go to bed. Try not to be too loud tonight." He winks at them and walks out of the living room. Jace sits up from sitting back on the couch. She turns and kisses Bobby hard. He pulls her close, leaning her back against the arm rest. He holds her hips down, grinding against her. 

"I've been thinking about all the things I wanna do to you since he got home." She blushes. 

"Then do it." He kisses her hard. He moves her shorts and panties to the side, sticking his fingers in her. She moans loudly against their kiss the harder he fingers her. He stops just before she comes, she bits his lip. "Tease." He smiles.

"You said to do what I've been thinking about."

"And you've been thinking about not making me come?" He bites his lip.

"I've been thinking all kinds of dirty things I wanna do to you." Her cheeks turn pinker. 

"Safe word is pineapple." He raises his eyebrows. "That's me telling you I wanna do whatever it is you're thinking." He kisses her hard, picking her up. She wraps her legs around him as he carries her to the room. He kicks the door shut, pinning her against the wall. 

"Are these pajamas special to you in anyway?"

"No. Why?" He sets her down, kissing her again. He grabs the top of her satin tank top. He rips it in half, making her gasp. She stares at him for a minute.

"Too much?" She shakes her head, a smile appearing. She pulls his shirt off, kissing him hard. She climbs into his arms, wrapping her legs around him. She bites his lip hard. "Damn, are you trying to make my lip bleed?" She blushes. 

"If I do...what will you do to me?" He raises his eyebrows at her. "I think I need to be punished." His eyes grow dark with lust. He lays her down on the bed, pinning her arms down. He kisses her hard, making her moan. He handcuffs her hands together, moving her hands above her head. He grabs her shorts, ripping them off. He pulls her panties off, throwing them to the side. He meets her eyes, his hand resting on her thigh. She nods, biting her lip. He licks down her thighs slowly until he reaches between her legs. He licks and sucks, stopping just before she orgasms. He pulls her up, kissing her neck. She pulls his pajama pants and boxers down. He gently grabs her hair, pulling her head back. He kisses up her throat softly, tracing her jaw line to her lips.

"Do you want to stop?"

"Hell no. I like this side of you. Do whatever you want." He smiles and kisses her softly. "Can I do something?" 

"Mhmm." She gently pushes up on his chest, making him sit up. She licks up his length lightly, looking up at him. He bit his lip, fighting off the urge to come. She licks the tip, taking all of him in her mouth. His grip in her hair tightens. She sucks, pausing to stroke him so she could rest her jaw every so often. "Fuck, I'm gonna come." She moves faster, taking him to the back of her throat. She looks up at him and meets his eyes, making him lose control. She slowly takes him out of her mouth, biting her lip. He leans down, gently holding her face. "Turn around and grab the headboard. She blushes and does what he says. He lays down under her legs, using his mouth again. Switching between speeds, teasing her. 

"Make me come." He sits up behind her, putting one hand beside hers on the headboard. He leans close to her ear, whispering. 

"Say please." She smirks and leans her bum into him. She looks over her shoulder at him, biting her lip. 

"Please. Please make me come." He grabs her hips, thrusting into her hard. She whimpers softly. His movements rough and passionate. Her moans filling the room. He runs one hand up her body to breast, caressing it. He plays with her nipple, biting her shoulder. "I'm close. Can I come? Pleaee?" He whispers in her ear.

"You want me to make you come?" She nods. His hand goes between her legs while thrusting hard. "Fucking come, Jace." He marks her neck, making her come hard. 

"Fuck yes!" 

"Turn around." He hooks her arms over his head. She pulls him close, their lips meeting. He lays her down, entering her again. She moans loudly against his mouth as he moves faster. Their embrace doesn't break until he comes with a final thrust. He rests his head against hers, both of them panting. He moves her hands back over his head, not breaking eye contact while he unlocks the handcuffs. She sits up wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately. She takes the cuffs out of his hand.

"My turn." 

********

Bobby laid cuddled up with his head on her chest and his arms around her waist. She plays with his hair idly, listening to the music play from her phone in the background. 

"Bobby..."

"Yeah?"

"When did you fall in love with me?" He looks up at her and smiles.

"It wasn't one specific time. It was a bunch of little times. I think I fell in love when I first saw you...but didn't realize it." 

"Well what times then? Tell me about when you first saw me too, I'm curious." He chuckles.

"The first time I saw you I didn't know it was you Gary had been talking about. I looked over from talking to Gary and Arjun and I saw you bent over petting Hazel. And then you looked up and started walking towards us. I couldn't stop staring at you, literally mesmerized." She giggles.

"That's cute. What else?" 

"There was that same day actually when Hazel knocked me in the water and I pulled you in. Seeing you laugh and having fun...got my heart pounding. And then you blushed when I said you were pretty. It was really cute. And then there was when we went kayaking with Robbie and Izzie. Seeing you with the campers...it's amazing. Our first tickle fight in my cabin. The first night we went and had drinks at your flat. And the day you found me when I was upset about my mum. The day we went to the arcade. The day I told you I loved you. The second time we slept together."

"The second time?? Why not the first time?"

"The first time was on your desk in your office in more of a rough fling type sex. It's was great but...the second time was more...emotional."

"Is there one specific time you looked at me and though 'I love this bitch'? He laughs. 

"Not in those exact words. But...the night after the arcade when you wished on a star. That moment I knew I loved you." She smiles and gives him a gentle peck. "What about me?" 

"Family Day. I saw you doing archery with Robbie. You smiled at me and the world stopped. I of course wouldn't admit it to my parents....but mom was right. I was definitely in love with you then. Also my mom thinks your sexy." 

"...interesting...do I want to know how that came up?"

"Basically I denied being in love with you and she admitted she thought you were sexy. I told them I couldn't end us if I wanted to." 

"You really said that to them?"

"Mhmm...which made my dad not like you more. Sorry."

"Is he ever gonna like me?"

"I want to say yes...but knowing him he'll at best tolerate you."

"That sounds awesome. On our wedding day when they ask who gives you away to me he's gonna be like 'I guess so' and glare at me." She raises her eyebrows. 

"On our wedding day, huh?" He clears his throat. 

"So you know sunflowers right? Those things grow to be so tall. Like I'm not a small guy but I see those and I'm like damn son." She laughs.

"You're so not ready for trees then, babe." He smiles at her. "But you're not getting away that easily. You think about when we get married?" He takes her hand in his.

"Aye. When I say I love you...it means I love you with everything I am. I want a future with you. I want to get married and have kids one day...is that something you want?"

"Oh definitely. I've always wanted that. Especially kids. I can't wait to have kids with the love of my life. The four of us laying in bed, goofing off. Sitting at the table, eating breakfast together. Baking cookies together." 

"That's what I want too. So I guess we're good there." She leans down, kissing him softly.

"Good. It'd be hard to walk away because we didn't want the same future." 

"Good thing we want the same thing then." She gets lost in thought, idly scratching his back. _**Gary was right about us being good for each other. It's no wonder he never shut up about his flatmate. He's everything I wanted and more. I wonder if we ever would've met if he never moved here. Would we have met somewhere else? Why did he choose Chatham of all places? It seems so random. You think he'd choose London or Manchester, even Bristol. Why Chatham?**_ "What are you thinking about?"

"Why did you choose Chatham? Like why Chatham and not London or Manchester?"

"My auntie used to live here."

"Did you visit her often?"

"Not as often as I would have liked. Only like twice though."

"How old were you?"

"Dinnae ken. I think I was like 6 or 7 the first time."

"Why didn't you come more? Did you not like it here?"

"No, I loved it. The first time I came I met some other kids, we ended up playing all summer. I kept asking to come back the next summer but Granny couldn't do it. I was just walking down the street when they came running up to me."

"Do you remember their names? Or where they lived? Maybe Gary knows them." He thinks a minute.

"Actually I think it was by your Nan's flat. I don't remember exactly where but it was that neighborhood. I don't remember their names." She's quiet a moment, looking into his eyes. _**Wait...a few months ago I had a dream about a Scottish boy I met when I was a kid. Was it a dream? He had the same eyes as Bobby and freckles.**_ "Why are you staring at me and frowning?" She gets up, putting on her robe. 

"Get up, put pants on. I wanna look at something." He hesitantly gets out of bed, following her. She goes into the living room, opening the coffee table top. 

"Since when does it do that???" She smiles.

"It always has. This is where he keeps his photo albums. His mum made us both some." She sits down cross-legged on the floor, the album in her lap. He sits behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder. She flips through the pages, stopping halfway through. She smiles and points to it. "It was real. Look, this is a little boy we met one summer when I came here to visit Nan and Gary's family." Bobby stares at the picture, frowning at her. "Now this boy was Scottish...and he has amber eyes...and freckles." She looks at him and smiles. "I have a feeling we met long before this summer." He smiles at her, looking at the picture closer.

"That's definitely me! Are you telling me we met when we were kids??"

"Looks like it, babe. I was the dorky little blonde girl."

"I didn't think you were dorky. I thought you were pretty...of course I never told anyone that cause, you know...cooties. But I thought Gary was the dorky one. I liked your accent too and how you went on and on about Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July." She blushes. "Is Thanksgiving still your favorite holiday?" She nods.

"I can't believe you remember that. I can't believe we met when we were kids." He kisses her cheek.

"I guess that's destiny for you. I think it's fate we met."

"I like that being part of our story. Wait until I tell Gary that you're the kid we played with all summer."

"What do you think he's gonna say?"

"He probably won't be as excited about it as I am, but he'll be surprised. Wait until the girls hear though. They're gonna go crazy! I guess Lottie was right about us being soulmates."

"Did you not believe it before?"

"I did, but this proves we are." He kisses her, leaning her back. She holds him close, gently biting his lip.

"Keep that up and we'll have a repeat of earlier." She blushes, biting her lip.

"Maybe I want that." 

"Fuck you're perfect." He kisses her passionately, pulling her closer. She lifts her hips, grinding against him. His hand runs down the side of her thigh, grasping it tightly. 

"Maybe we should go back to our room..." He smiles at her, looking into her eyes. "What?" 

"You said our room." She blushes. "I like it when you call it our room." She smiles and pulls him closer. 

"Then let's go to our room." She leads him to the room, smiling at him over her shoulder. _**Fuck, I love her. I swear for the rest of my life I'm going to do everything in my power to make her happy.**_

********

She sighs, turning over. She finds the bed empty, making her sit up abruptly. She looks around doesn't see him, her heart starts racing. 

"Bobby??" She doesn't hear anything, panic starts setting in. "Bobby!?" She stands up, running to the door. "Bobby!?!" She opens the door, running into him. He meets her eyes, fear swirling in them.

"Lass, are you okay?? What's wrong?" She stares at him for a moment, embarrassment starting to set in. "Jace, are you okay?" She sighs and shakes her head. She hugs him tightly, her voice shaky.

"I thought you left." He holds her closer.

"I was in the kitchen making breakfast. I'm sorry, I didn't think about it." She sniffles, tightening her arms around him. He turns to look at Gary, standing just behind him. A somber expression on his face, he looks at him for a minute before turning back to go sit down. Bobby kisses the top of her head, rubbing her back. She doesn't know how long they stood there holding each other. She looks up at him, sniffling.

"I'm sorry for worrying you." He shakes his head, gently wiping her cheek.

"Don't be sorry, it's my fault. I started this by leaving in the first place. I should've thought about how it would make you feel waking up without me next to you. I'm sorry, lass." She puts her hand over his on her cheek, giving him a small smile.

"It's okay. I shouldn't have freaked out like that." He kisses her gently, making her relax.

"I love you, Jace. I'm not going anywhere." She smiles at him.

"I love you too, Bobby." She sighs and wipes her eyes. "I heard breakfast, right?" He smiles.

"Aye...French toast." She smiles at him. He takes her hand in his, kissing it. She holds onto him as he leads her to the bar, still holding her hand. She sits next to Gary, leaning on his shoulder. He looks at her for a minute, worry in his eyes.

"I'm fine, I promise." He forces a smile, nodding. She looks up from her cup of coffee, catching him staring Bobby down. Bobby looks down at the counter, guilt apparent in his features. She frowns and nudges Gary. "Stop it." 

"Stop what?"

"Stop looking at him like that. It was a mistake, he did it because he thought it was best."

"Jace, you're the person I'm closest with on earth. He may be my best mate but you come first. You hurting make me hurt. I think I'm allowed to feel a bit upset about what he's done to you." She shakes her head.

"No, you don't. He feels bad enough and I don't need you making him feel worse. If you did shit like that then it's no wonder he started drinking so heavily." Bobby clears his throat, still looking down.

"Jace, it's fine. He's right, he does have a right to feel upset with me. So do you. I fucked up." She sighs.

"Come here." He walks around the bar, standing in front of her. She takes his hand, slowly hooking her fingers through his. She looks at their hands, smiling. She meets his eyes, seeing the pain in them. "Bobby, you had no intention of hurting me as bad as you did. You didn't know how much I loved you so you didn't know it would cut that deep. We're still learning a lot about each other. And I forgive you because all of that, I know it wasn't to be cruel. I know you love me just as much as I love you. So stop torturing yourself and stop letting dumbasses-" She glares at Gary. "-continue to make you feel guilty. I'm okay, I had a temporary moment of panic but that doesn't happen often." He doesn't say anything as he looks at her. She coaxes him to her, kissing him. He hesitantly kisses her back. She stands up, running a hand down his chest and wrapping it around his waist. Her other hand runs up into his hair, she bites his lip. His arm wrapped around her waist, the other going to the back of her neck. He deepens the kiss, making her moan softly. He smiles against their kiss.

"Alright, alright. You win." She smiles, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Good, I like winning." She turns to Gary. "Do I need to have a talk to you too?" He sighs.

"No, you don't. I'm sorry...to both of you. It's just hard for me to let go sometimes when it comes to you. I promise I don't hate you, Bobby. You two just put me in an awkward position." Bobby sighs.

"I'm sorry about that, mate...to be fair though, you've been trying to set us up for a year now..." Gary smiles.

"I mean, yeah...you got me there." Jace smiles at them.

"Aww, my two favorite boys getting along again. This is what happiness feels like. A super sexy man in my arms who loves me, and my best friend who happens to be my cousin who also loves me....in very different ways." Gary rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, sorry. You're not my type. Katrina is though...I was thinking about going to visit soon though...." She raises her eyebrows.

"Oh? I think that would be a great idea. Wanna come back with us? We're going to go talk to Felix after breakfast." Bobby looks at her.

"We are?"

"Duh. I bet if I bat my eyelashes he'll let you be gone as long as I want."

"Wait, are you gonna graft on my boss?"

"No, not at all. But I am going to use my pretty face to our advantage." He smiles and rolls his eyes.

"You're a mess, lass." 

"That's why you love me." She bats her eyelashes at him. He sighs, still smiling.

"More than you'll ever know. I swear you have me wrapped around your finger." 

"Well, from what you said I don't have you wrapped around the right finger yet." She wiggles her ring finger, winking at him. Gary chokes on his tea, splashing it all over the counter.

"Wait, what? Don't tell me you proposed already..." Bobby smiles at him.

"Nah, mate. We just talked about what we want out of this." Gary looks between them nervously.

"And?"

"And we want the same thing." He wraps his arms around her shoulders, kissing her cheek. "One day we'll get married and start a family."

"Uh, where?" Bobby pauses.

"To be determined. We're not there yet so we haven't gone into details. Just the general picture of it."

"Yeah, so don't scare him off with these questions. We'll get there when we're ready. Until then we're gonna enjoy just being together." Gary smiles and shakes his head.

"Damn you two move fast. I haven't even asked Katrina to be my girlfriend yet and you two are talking about getting married and shit." Jace sighs.

"You better hurry up. She won't wait forever. She's amazing and I know you know that. If you wait too long though...her head can be turned."

"Why do you think I wanna go see her? I wanna ask her in person not on FaceTime." Bobby pats his shoulder.

"There it is. That's how you do it." 


	24. September 6, 2020

"What's he look like again?" She looks over at Bobby driving to his job.

"He's the only lad with blue hair, can't miss him." She watches him drive for a minute, admiring the way his eyes shined in the sunlight. He notices her staring and smiles. "What?"

"You're so handsome." He shakes his head.

"Whatever you say, lass." She leans over, kissing his neck. "I'm trying to drive..." she rubs her hand over his jeans. "Babe, you're gonna make me wreck the truck." She smiles.

"Pull over." 

"And do what?" 

"Let me love you." He glances at her, still smiling.

"You haven't stopped fucking me since we got back together. I think you need to slow down." She unbuttons his jeans, making him bite his lip. 

"You don't wanna?" She starts kissing his neck again.

"What I want to do and what we need to do are two very different things. I need to talk to my boss." She pouts. He takes her hand in his, kissing the back of it. "We have the rest of our lives, babe." She smiles at him. She watches him drive, holding her hand the rest of the way.

********

They walk inside the restaurant, seeing a brunette waitress with a braid in her hair. 

"Hey, Miki. Where's Felix at?" She looks up, smiling.

"Bobby! You're alive!" She runs up, hugging him. Jace's grip on his hand tightens. He smiles and pulls back.

"Miki, this is Jace. Jace this is Miki. This-" he pulls Jace to him, wrapping his arms around her from behind, kissing her cheek. "This is my lass." Miki smiles at her.

"So this is the American I've heard so much about. You weren't kidding when you said she was gorgeous." Jace blushes, holding out her hand.

"It's nice to meet you." 

"It's lovely to meet you, hun! Felix is in his office working on payroll." He leads her back behind the bar, going to the kitchen. Two guys look up, smiling at him. The one with short brown curly hair wipes his hands.

"Hey! He's alive! Camillo, look who it is!" Bobby smiles walking up to him, shaking his hand. 

"Jake! How's it going, mate?" 

"Same old, same old. I proposed to Jessie." 

"That's great!! Congratulations!" He gives him a hug.

"Thanks, mate. You're coming to the wedding, right?"

"Do I get a plus one?" He takes Jace's hand, pulling her to him. Camillo smiles at her.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say this is the American?" She arches an eyebrow.

"How many people have you talked to about me?" He blushes.

"I, well, I, you mean...anyway. Uh, so you're getting married?" Jake smiles.

"He went on and on about you. Grant it, it was more in a wistful way...but we still heard a lot about you." 

"You were wistful about me?"

"So what kind of wedding are you gonna have? How many people?" She shrugs, looking at the boys.

"I did the same thing. I mean my friends knew him so they knew about him. But I talked about him non stop too. My friends nearly banned me from saying the name 'Bobby' I talked about him so much." He looks down at her.

"You did?" She nods.

"Yeah...I also started telling horrible dad jokes." He smiles.

"No way."

"One morning after we went out drinking we were eating breakfast...I couldn't stop making egg puns. It was awful. Like when Lottie handed me my plate. I took a bite and was like 'These are EGG-xcellent.' And when Chelsea started talking enthusiastically I was all 'No need to get so EGG-xcited.' They both stared at me in horror." 

"Those are funny! I think they're funny."

"Then you should see my Kanye impression. Pretty on point." She dusts off her shoulder, making him chuckle. Camillo and Jake look at each other, Camillo smiling.

"There's two of them. Lord, help us all." Jake shakes his head.

"Never thought I'd see the day."

"What do you mean?"

"I never thought I'd see Bobby like this with anyone. I never thought he'd find someone he wanted to settle down with. He just seemed too much of a rolling stone. Unattainable." Jacinda bites her lip, wrapping her arms around his waist. 

"Unattainable, huh?" She looks up at Bobby. "I'm glad I was the one then." She saw the adoration in his eyes, making her heart swell.

"You were the one the day I met you. Always will be." Jake frowns slightly.

"Wait...you mean like _the_ one?" Jacinda looks at Bobby nervously. He looks into her eyes, gently moving a strand of hair out of her face.

"Yes, _the_ one. I would marry you right now if I could." 

"Wait, really?" He nods.

"If your dad and Gary threatening to kick my ass didn't scare me I'd definitely marry you right now." The boys glance between them nervously. A smile breaks out on her face. She throws her arms around his neck, kissing him. He smiles, caressing her face. "I guess you would be okay with that then?" She bites her lip.

"I mean...I could always take care of you afterwards if they did. And I'd try to stop them, they can't tell me no..."

"Are you trying to tell me something?"

"Are you?" They look at each other for a moment. Felix walks out of his office.

"Well look who decided to grace us with his presence. I was starting to wonder if you were alive." He smiles at Bobby.

"Yeah, sorry about that, boss. It's been a bad few months."

"I know. I hope you've managed to figure things out." Jace steps forward.

"It's my fault really." She holds out her hand, smiling her most dazzling smile. "I'm Jacinda, it's nice to finally meet you." He slowly shakes her hand, unable to stop staring at her.

"Hi. I'm Felix, I run this place." He stands a little taller, trying to look more stern. Jace meets Bobby's eyes, smiling. She winks at him, stepping forward next to Felix. She places a hand on his bicep. 

"I can definitely tell. You really know how to run a great restaurant. It's so clean, the food looks delicious, the staff is friendly." He smiles at her compliments.

"Well, I do work really hard at it."

"I can see that. You can tell a lot about a man by how he treats his employees. Your staff seem very happy to have you as their boss. I've heard a lot of wonderful things about you." Bobby meets Jake and Camillo's eyes, smiling at them. Camillo points to Jace and Felix. Bobby shrugs, leaning against the counter.

"You have? I try to keep everyone here happy. If my staff is happy then it makes everything flow more smoothly. They're more willing to help out when we need it."

"Really? You must be a very good boss then. Which is why I'm hoping you can help me out with something."

"Anything you want, just name it."

"I was hoping Bobby could have a bit more time off. I really need his help, my mom is really sick."

"Done, how long?"

"I don't know, one or two weeks?"

"Done." She hugs him, making him smile.

"Thank you so much!" She kisses his cheek. "You're my hero, babes." He blushes, his voice cracking.

"It's no problem at all. Really." Miki walks in quickly.

"Felix, we need you up front. We have a customer who wants to speak to you." He follows her out quickly. Camillo and Jake bust out laughing, Camillo leaning on Jake's shoulder.

"Oh my God, did you see that?" He looks at Jake.

"I did, he was putty in her hands. Bobby, are you alright with that?"

"That my boss thinks my girlfriend is hot? Yes, yes I am. I don't mind seeing guys like Felix getting all flustered over her." Jace walks up to him, gently taking the front of his shirt.

"Besides, you're who I want." He holds her close.

"Good thing we're together then." She nods, kissing him softly.

"Now come on. We've got to go run a couple errands before Nan's." She gives him a quick kiss. "I'll race you to the truck." She takes off running, laughing as he chases after her. Camillo looks at Jake.

"Mate...he's head over heels for her."

"Yeah, he is."

"I'm worried about him. He could easily get hurt, what if he loves her more than she loves him?" Jake smiles.

"Camillo...one day you'll get it. She's just as in love with him, if not more. They're head over heels for each other and if they commit to each other with everything they've got, they'll make it. It's only when one of them gives up it falls apart. Love is always a risk but when you find the right one it's worth every risk." 

********

She watches the grass sway in the wind, batches shimmering in the sunlight. Bobby's hand rested on her leg while he drove. _**Did he mean that marriage thing? Would he really marry me right now? Is he that scared of my family? Gary would get over it but Dad...that's a hard one. What if we did get married though?**_

"What are you thinking about?" She looks over, seeing him glancing at her.

"What?"

"What are you thinking about? You look like you're lost in thought." She chews on her lip.

"Did you really mean what you said earlier? About marrying me?"

"Aye, I did."

"I thought it was too soon to think about that."

"It kind of is."

"Then why say it?"

"It's difficult to explain I guess."

"Can you try?" 

"I love you. More than anything and anyone. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don't want to lose you again and I want to start our lives together."

"So why not then?"

"Why not what?"

"Get married?" He's quiet for so long she almost reminds him she's still there. He finally clears his throat.

"I would love to...but we both know that isn't the way to do this. I don't want to start our marriage by fighting with our families for eloping. Your mum wants a wedding, you want a wedding. I can't get a ring yet. I want to marry you, but I want to marry you the right way." 

"If we love each other then that's all that should matter. We can face anything else together."

"We could and we will. But it's not the right time, it's not the right way." He pulls up to Nan's house, pulling into the driveway. He turns off the truck, taking her hand. "I love you, you know that. I want to marry you, you know that too. But I want it to be done right. Eloping behind everyone's back is just going to start a war, a war neither of us want to start. I don't want to marry you without at least trying to get your dad to approve." She smiles sadly, nodding.

"You're right." She undoes her seatbelt. "We should go in." She hops out of the truck before he can say anything. He sighs, rubbing his face.

"Fuck, Bobby. Can you ever do anything right?"

********

Her hands submerged in the warm soapy water, scrubbing the dishes from lunch. Her mind wanders back to the conversation in the truck. She sighs, trying to get rid of the disappointed feeling in her chest.

"What's wrong, love?" She looks up, Nan walking towards her.

"Nothing, Nan. I'm fine." 

"Jacinda Matthews. Do not lie to me." She smiles.

"It's nothing. I'm just being ridiculous."

"Well, let's find out. What's up?"

"Nothing, really." 

"Bobby!" 

"Nan! No! Don't bring him into this!" Bobby turns the corner.

"Yeah?" She turns to him.

"What's wrong with Jacinda?" He meets Jace's eyes, she shakes her head. "No, no. Don't listen to her, tell me. Don't make me ask again." He raises his eyebrows, rubbing his neck.

"Um....you know, I just remembered I have something I need to go do. I need to go call...Granny. I'll, uh, catch you in a bit." Jacinda smiles, watching him quickly walk outside. 

"That's my man." Nan turns to look at her.

"Did he just walk away from me without answering?" Jacinda nods, still smiling.

"Yes he did. He decided you being mad at him was better than me being mad at him."

"You're like a married couple. Your wife being mad is worse than anyone else being mad." Jace chuckles.

"I wish." Nan arches an eyebrow.

"Oh? Ooohhhh....that's what's wrong. Does he not want to marry you?"

"He does, he told me he'd marry me right now if he could."

"What's stopping him?"

"He says he can't get a ring right now, he wants Dad's approval, he says he wants to do it right. He thinks eloping behind everyone's backs would just cause problems."

"And you disagree?"

"I mean, I get what he's saying. But he doesn't know how much Dad doesn't like him. I don't think Dad will ever give him permission to marry me, we're gonna have to marry without his blessing. As far as everyone else...they would be upset but they would get over it. I love him and he loves me, that's all that really matters. I don't care who is with us or against us as long as we have each other." Nan smiles, placing her hands on her heart.

"I am so happy you two love each other so much. Love is a beautiful, sacred thing that's hard to come by. Especially a love like yours...but you both need to decide what you want. You both want to get married, which is wonderful. But you need to figure out when and how. You need to figure out if you want a wedding, what kind of wedding, who you want there, what it means to each of you. Agreeing to marry isn't just saying yes. Agreeing to marry means you start coming together and communicating even the simplest things so that you're on the same team." She frowns at her.

"I hate when you make sense." Nan laughs and starts drying the dishes.

"You just don't like being wrong, but it gets easier."

"So what do I do about Dad?"

"All you can do is let him know how much you love Bobby and how much Bobby loves you. He's stubborn so he may not approve until it's done. But don't let him stop you two from being together."

"So just do it without his permission?"

"Whatever you decide you both need to agree on it. But if he doesn't approve and won't give you his blessing and everything else is worked out...do it anyway." She smiles at her.

"What would I do without you?"

"Not have that spunk, that's for sure. You got your feistiness from me." Bobby peaks his head around the corner.

"Is it safe to come in yet?" Jace and Nan look at each other.

"Yes, babe. It's safe to come in." He walks in slowly. "It's fine. No need to worry." He smiles and walks over to her, kissing her cheek. "Wanna help?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Put away the dishes?"

"I don't know where they go...."

"You've been here a thousand times!" Nan chuckles.

"We'll switch jobs. You dry, I'll put away."


	25. September 8, 2020

She cuddles up to him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I hate flying."

"Why?"

"Cause it's boring. I'm trapped in one place too long."

"I feel that. But we just have to deal with it." She sighs.

"Let's play a game." He smiles.

"Okay. What game?"

"20 questions. You guess mine first." 

"Is it something you eat?"

"No."

"Something you do?"

"No."

"Something you make?"

"No."

"Is it something you wear?"

"Yes."

"Do you have one already?"

"Yes." He thinks a minute.

"Are you wearing it now?"

"No."

"Do you wear it a lot?"

"Yes." He squints his eyes.

"Is it yours?"

"Technically no." He smiles.

"Do you wear it every night?"

"Pretty much."

"Is it my favorite shirt?"

"Yes! You're turn." He thinks a minute.

"Okay, go."

"Is it something you wear?"

"No."

"Is it something you do?"

"Not technically."

"Is it something you make?"

"No."

"Do you have it?"

"Yes."

"Is it on the plane?"

"Yes."

"Do you have more than one of it?"

"No."

"Did you buy it?"

"No."

"Did someone else buy it?"

"No."

"Did you find it?"

"Yes."

"Is it colorful?"

"Yes. Ten more questions." She smiles, thinking for a moment.

"You have it with you, it's nothing you make or do. You didn't buy it, you found it. It's colorful....is it important?"

"Yes."

"Do you need it to travel?"

"No."

"Is it something you need?"

"Yes." Gary sits down.

"What are you two up to?" Jace frowns.

"We're playing 20 questions and I can't figure his out."

"What are the clues?"

"It's important to him, it's not something you do or make, him or anyone else did not buy it, he found it, it's on the plane, it's colorful, he only has one of it, he doesn't need it to travel." Gary thinks a minute, looking at Bobby. He looks back at Jace, back at Bobby. He raises his eyebrows.

"Mate, you didn't go there." Bobby smiles wiggling his eyebrows.

"We'll have to wait until she loses to find out." She sighs, chewing her lip.

"Is it special?"

"Yes, very." 

"Can I see it right now?" He shrugs.

"Yeah." Gary groans.

"Bloody hell, Jace." Bobby smiles at him, looking back at Jacinda. Gary motions behind Bobby pointing at her. Bobby turns around, Gary stopping before he sees him. Jacinda leans back, tapping her chin. 

"Is it...me?" 

"Yes. I also would've accepted sexy woman next to me." She smiles.

"You big softy." She kisses him.

"You really think you need me?"

"Mhmm. Without you my life sucks." She smiles and kisses him again. "Let's play something else. Two truths and a lie. Gary goes first." Gary smiles.

"Why me?"

"Cause I said so." He rolls his eyes.

"Fine. But it's not fair for Bobby, you've known me my whole life."

"Try it anyway." 

"Okay. If you say so." They played a few more games, making time fly by. Jace couldn't help but feel blessed to have her two favorite men with her. She watched them laugh and joke together, filling her heart with joy. She bites her lip. _**I am so damn lucky. I'm so lucky to have these two.**_

********

Bobby looks out the window, the pure white clouds dancing around the inky black sky. He looks down at Jace, her head resting in his lap. Her feet in Gary's lap as she slept. He smiled at her sleeping face. Her golden blonde hair in a messy bun, one of his hoodies on her, no makeup. **_I swear I don't deserve her. She's so damn perfect, I'm the luckiest lad in the world. I can't believe she chose me._** _ **Will her dad ever approve of us? I don't want to do it behind his back...but no one is gonna stop us. I've got to do this soon. I don't want to lose her again.**_ He looks back out the window, getting lost in his thoughts.

********

Gary flipped through a mechanic magazine, Jace's feet in his lap. He looked up, seeing Bobby staring out the window. Bobby looked down at Jace, smiling. He moves a strand of hair out of her face carefully. He looked at her so lovingly, making Gary smile. He thought back to everything they went through this year. _**I really hoped they would make it. Sure I hated him a little bit when he left...and became a drunk...but I hoped they would make it. He really does love her, doesn't he? I've never seen him look at anyone like that...he's different with her. In a good way, but different. Please protect her. This girl means just as much as Nan does. She's too pure of a soul to be treated badly.**_ He looks at her sleeping in Bobby's lap, chuckling softly to himself. He shakes his head. _**She's definitely completely in love with him. She's not letting him go any time soon. She's like a love sick teenager when she talks about him. God, I hope they make it. I don't want to choose sides.**_

********

She sits between the guys, bouncing her knee. Bobby takes her hand.

"We're almost there." He kisses her hand, making her smile. She leans against him, cuddling up to his arm. He leans his head against hers.

"I can't wait to be home. I miss Hazel."

"What do you think she's gonna do when she sees me?"

"Pee herself." Bobby laughs.

"See if I heard that and didn't know it was about a dog I would be seriously concerned." She smiles at him.

"I mean, to each their own, right?" He kisses her softly.

"You got me there." She cuddles up to him again, sighing happily.

********

She pulls up to her parents house. 

"Sorry, I have to get Hazel. Coming?" He raises his eyebrows, making her sigh. "Come on." He gets out of the truck, meeting her at the front. She looks into his eyes, taking his hands. "Do you love me?"

"More than anything." 

"Then just...choose me. Choose me and I'll choose you. That's what matters. I know it's important to you but I don't really care if Dad approves or not. You're my safe haven, you're my happy place. Without you life just isn't the same." He kisses her lovingly.

"I love you, Jacinda." She smiles.

"I love you too, Robert." He chuckles, rubbing his thumb across her bottom lip. He kisses her again, holding her close. She wraps her arms around his neck, smiling. Someone coughs, making them pull apart. Her dad stood on the front porch, his arms crossed as he glared at Bobby. "Daddy, be nice." She takes Bobby's hand, leading him to the porch. Her dad looks him over.

"So you're back." He clears his throat.

"Just for a couple weeks. I still live in England." He scoffs.

"So what do you plan on doing with her? Are you gonna just disappear again?"

"Daddy. That's enough." Bobby shakes his head.

"It's fine, Jace. I'm good."

"I'm not. I'm not okay with this. You're mine and I won't let anyone talk to you like that." She looks back at her dad. "I'm getting Hazel, we're saying hi to Mama and then we're leaving. Not another word or I swear to God I'll fight you. I'm exhausted, jetlagged and hungry. Try me." She walks inside, dragging Bobby behind her. She smiles at her mom when she sees her. "Hi Mama." She hugs her, kissing her cheek.

"Hi! I almost thought you'd never come home."

"Nah, you know this place is my life. And I guess you matter too." She winks at her, smiling. Her mom smiles at Bobby.

"Bobby! It's so good to see you again! Don't mind Joe, he's a grouch most of the time anyway." He smiles and hugs her.

"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Matthews. He has a right this time, so it is what it is."

"Are you staying this time?"

"Well we're staying together, but I do have to go back to England. So not yet."

"Not yet?"

"Aye, hopefully one day." He looks at Jace smiling. She blushes and looks back at her mom.

"That's enough interrogation for one day. Y'all have two weeks to pound him with questions. Where's my dog?" She whistles, a gray blur ripping around the corner. She goes right past Jace to Bobby, jumping on him. She knocks him to the ground, licking his face. He laughs, trying to get her to calm down.

"Oi! Relax, I missed you too." She eventually rolls over for tummy scratches. Jace looks at her mom.

"Been gone almost a week and she just doesn't care. Wasn't I the one who raised her? It's like I don't exist when he's here." Bobby pulls her down to him, making her giggle. She sat down in front of him, leaning into his chest. Bobby pats Jace's lap.

"Come here, girl." Hazel rolls over, licking Jace's face. "See, she loves you." He kisses her cheek, watching Hazel run around excitedly. She kept bringing toys over, dropping them in their laps. He stands up, helping Jace stand. He sees her dad watching him, his face expressionless. 

"Bobby."

"Yes, sir?"

"I think we need to have a talk." Jace shook her head.

"No. No you don't."

"Jacinda, stay out of this."

"No, you stay out of this." Bobby raises his eyebrows.

"Jace...it's okay." 

"No it's not. He's gonna try and scare you off and it's not right. He doesn't need to start acting all cold towards you now." Her dad crosses his arms.

"I think I have a right. He broke your heart, or did you forget that? I've never seen you so broken, even when your mother and I had our problems." Bobby looks over at Jace's face, seeing the truth in her eyes. "He destroyed you and you're just gonna take him back?? Like nothing happened? He's probably going to do it again. He's the type that's just gonna use you for sex and money." Bobby sees the hurt in Jace's face, anger setting fire in him. He frowns and looks at her dad.

"With all due respect, you don't know me. I know I hurt her and I'm trying like hell to make up for it. The fact she even forgave me in the first place...I just don't get it. But she did and she chose me. I choose her and she chooses me. I could care less about money or sex. I care about her, her heart is what I love. I tried like hell to get her out of my mind and I couldn't. It's fine if you hate me, I accept that. I fucked up. But I won't be accused of using her for a damn thing. And I'm not gonna watch you talk to her like that. That's your daughter, you're supposed to support her and build her up. Not hurt her." Jace steps towards him, putting her arms around his waist and laying her head against his chest.

"Babe..." He hugs her back, resting his head on hers. For a minute no one says anything until Bobby clears his throat.

"I need to go call Miles and Granny."

"Okay. I'll be there in a minute."

"I'll just walk there, it'll give me time to call them."

"Okay. Here's my house key." She smiles and gives him a quick peck. "I'll see you soon?"

"Aye." He looks at her mom. "It was good to see you again, Mrs. Matthews." He looks at her dad, nodding once. "Sir." He walks out, Hazel chasing behind him. He hears yelling as soon as the door shuts, walking away as fast as possible.

********

"Bobby?" He hears the front door.

"In the kitchen." She walks in, smiling at him.

"Are you baking?"

"Sorry. I bake when I get anxious." She walks around the counter, wrapping her arms around him from behind.

"I like coming home to you." He pauses for a second, before going back to baking. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"My dad. If it makes you feel any better my mom let him have it when you left."

"Really?"

"She was pissed by what he said about you and me. He's supposed to apologize but he probably won't. So on behalf of my dad and by mom's orders, my dad says sorry for being a dick." He smiles, shaking her head.

"It's fine, I can take it." She sits on the counter, next to his work station. 

"Just because you can take it doesn't mean you should. I mean, I don't want you to constantly fight my dad...but stand up to him." He looks at her.

"He already doesn't like me, me talking back to him like I did probably made it worse. At this rate we're gonna have to get married without his blessing...but I don't want that for you. I know you two are close and it really matters to you that he approves, even though you keep saying you're fine with it. I know you're not. I don't want it to be me or him."

"It won't be. Because it's you, it's always going to be you."

"You're gonna put me above your dad?" She takes his hand, pulling him in front of her. She looks into his eyes.

"I see marriage as two people coming from different places, different backgrounds, different teams. They come together to make a new team. To make a new family. They don't forget their other family but their new family is their priority. You're my new family. It's like in baseball when a player gets drafted by a major league team. He leaves his first team, the minor league team, behind. He's grateful for the opportunities and the things he learned from that team but he pours himself into his new team." He smiles.

"So I'm your new family?" She nods.

"Yes. You're my priority. I would love for Dad to approve...but if it comes to you or him I choose you. It won't be easy to do...but you're the one I want to spend my life with. You're the one I love." He sighs.

"What if he threatens to disown you?" She shrugs.

"Then it looks like neither of us would have dads. He can have this house, my truck, anything he gave me. He can take it all. If I have you then I don't need anything else. I want to marry you and no one is gonna stop me unless you tell me otherwise...but don't tell me that." He kisses her cheek.

"I'm not going anywhere, Jace. You're stuck with me." 

"I'm okay with that." She kisses him softly, her heart pounding. 


	26. September 9, 2020

She sits on the counter watching him cook breakfast. She bites her lip, watching him in her kitchen. He notices her staring.

"What?" She shrugs.

"I like seeing you in my kitchen." He smiles.

"I like being in your kitchen. And not just because you're sitting there half naked...although that is distracting." She smiles, crossing her legs.

"I do feel a bit bored though. I wonder what we can...do." He raises his eyebrows, looking at her.

"You are gonna get me in a lot of trouble if you don't start controlling yourself. I have never met anyone so..."

"Concupiscent?"

"Sure, whatever that means." She laughs.

"It basically means someone who is full of lustful desire."

"You're so smart." She shrugs.

"I like books."

"Which is cute. I like seeing you read. You get so into it."

"Because I do. The words just come alive to me." He sets their plates on the counter, standing in front of her. He looks at her, his heart pounding. The morning sun behind sent it's warm glow around her, making her look heavenly. Her eyes shining as she looked into his, her perfect smile making his head spin. Her hair matching the golden rays coming in from the window. "What?" He shakes his head gently.

"You just look so gorgeous. Like an angel." He kisses her softly, his skin tingling where her hands touched his skin. "I get it now." She looks at him confused. "I get why my dad left."

"What do you mean?"

"If he loved her anywhere near how much I love you I can see why being around me was hard."

"Is that what he said when you asked him?" He nods.

"He said his heart broke when she died. Apparently I look just like her so seeing me was really hard for him."

"I thought he abused y'all."

"Me mostly physically. Sometimes verbally. He never laid a hand on her though. He'd say a lot of fucked up shit, but he never laid a hand on her." Her eyes soften. 

"I'm sorry you went through everything you did." He smiles.

"I'm not. It brought me to you." She smiles wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I love you, Robert McKenzie."

"I love you too, Jacinda Matthews." 

********

She chews her lip nervously, staring out the window while he drives. He glances over at her, smiling. He takes her hand, kissing the back.

"It's gonna be alright."

"But what if he hates you?"

"Then I'll have to try and fix it."

"What if you can't?"

"Then I can't."

"Aren't you worried?"

"Well yeah."

"You don't look worried."

"There's no point in chewing my lip off over it. I hope I can fix this but sometimes you can't and you just have to deal with it." She sighs.

"How are you so go with the flow?"

"Life is too short to stress about things you can't control. All you can do is try." They pull up to the house, she takes another deep breath. He makes her look at him. "Babe, it's going to be okay. Don't stress about it. Whatever happens I'll do the best I can to fix this." She nods.

"Okay. You're right." He smiles and kisses her softly. They climb out, standing beside the truck as they look at the house. She looks into his eyes. "Why am I so nervous about this?"

"Because you know what it feels like. Because you care about him and you care about me. Because you're so selfless and amazing." She smiles.

"You had me until the last part."

"You don't think you are?" She shakes her head. "Why?" 

"Because of this." She throws her arms around his neck, catching him off guard with her kiss. He smiles, wrapping his arms around her waist. He pulls away.

"We need to stop before things get too frisky."

"Frisky, huh?" She smiles and takes his hand. They make it to the door, her clinging to his hand as she knocks. They're greeted with a smile.

"Jace! Bobby!!! I'm so glad y'all could come." She hugs them both, Bobby smiles.

"Its good to see you, Mrs. Stevens."

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Patty." He chuckles.

"I'm sorry. It's nice to see you again, Patty." She smiles showing them inside. Jacinda chews on her lip.

"How has he been?"

"Same as before, angry. I honestly don't know how he'll react to seeing y'all." 

"We'll just have to find out then." Patty nods, giving them an encouraging smile.

"Robbie! Come here, please!" A few minutes later he starts coming down the stairs, stopping halfway when he sees them standing there. He looks directly at Bobby, frowning. Bobby absent-mindedly squeezes Jace's hand.

"Why are you here?" 

"Jace went all the way to England to throw shoes at me until I stopped being dumb." He looks at Jace.

"You went to get him?" She smiles and nods.

"You were right, I promised him I wouldn't leave him to hurt alone. He needed me and I abandoned him." He looks at them both, slowly climbing down the rest of the stairs. For a minute no one moves or talks. They just stare at each other, waiting for his next move. He runs over to Bobby, hugging him tightly. Bobby hugs him tightly, trying to hold back tears of his own. 

"I'm sorry I left you like that. I promised I wouldn't and I did."

"It's okay. You were just trying to make things easier for Jace." Jace sniffles, wiping her eyes. Her and Patty watch them, smiles on their faces. After a few minutes he looks at Jace, hugging her too. "Thank you for getting him. Even if it wasn't for me." 

"Honey, it was for you just as much as it was for me." 

"How many shoes did it take?" She smiles.

"Three shoes and a pitcher of water." He laughs.

"You threw water on him." 

"Him and his pretty little blonde friend." He blushes looking away.

"So anyway, how's it been? You doing good? How's school?" She rolls her eyes, smiling.

********

"Where are we going?"

"To my parents."

"Why?"

"We're going to tell them we want to get married."

"Your dad might actually kill me."

"Nah, Hazel wouldn't let that happen." He smiles.

"I'm glad Hazel loves me enough to protect me."

"Hey, I do too." He rolls his eyes.

"You're something else." They make it there, Bobby the anxious one this time. She smiles taking his hand.

"Hey, we've got this, right?" He nods, giving her a quick peck.

"I guess so." She rolls her eyes, getting out. When her dad answers the door, he frowns.

"Didn't expect to see you so soon." Jace sighs.

"Can we come in?"

"If you're here to tell me you're pregnant, I'm getting my gun." Bobby's looks at him horrified. 

"What? No! She's not pregnant." He looks over at her nervously. "Right?" She smiles and shakes her head.

"I'm not pregnant." He lets out a sigh of relief. 

"Good." 

"Can we come in or not?" They hear her mom yell from inside.

"Open the damn door, Joe! Let them in before I have to get up!" He sighs.

"Yes, dear." He steps aside letting them in. They sit down in the living room, awkward silence enveloping them. 

"So what are y'all doing here, hun? We didn't expect to see y'all today." Jacinda clears her throat.

"We want to get married. We aren't engaged yet or anything, he wanted to do this right. But I no longer trust you alone with him, DAD, so we're here to ask for your blessing." Her dad shakes his head.

"Absolutely not. No way, no." 

"Joe. Stop it and stop being selfish."

"How am I being selfish?"

"Do you not see how much they love each other?"

"No I don't. I see someone trying to get her inheritance again." Bobby frowns, Jace puts a hand on his leg before he says anything.

"I withdraw from my inheritance." Her parents look at her in shock. "I don't want any of it." Bobby smiles at her. Joe frowns.

"And how do you expect to survive without it? You think he's gonna take care of you?"

"I don't want to be taken care of. And we're getting married with or without your blessing. But I want you there for it. I don't want you to miss out on the happiest day of my life because you think you know better than me. So no matter what you say, when we leave today we're going to start making plans for us to be together." 

"If you do this, you're losing the camp too." She frowns.

"You would take that away? Knowing I've poured my heart and soul into it? Into those kids? I'm personally invested in the whole thing. Who's gonna run it then?" 

"We'll figure it out, but it won't be you if you marry him." 

"Joe! Do you hear yourself?! You're willing to take everything from her just out of pure stubbornness?? You're not taking a thing from her."

"Yes I am. If he means that much to her then what does it matter?" Bobby frowns at him.

"It matters because she loves that camp and those kids love her. Have you seen them with her? They adore her, and she adores them. I fell in love with her because of how selfless she is and how devoted she is to giving those kids what she couldn't have. She gives each one special attention and still manages to keep all of her employees happy while still running it smoothly. Without her that camp will fall." They all look at Bobby in shock. She glares at her dad and shakes her head.

"You know what? It's fine, take the camp. Take my house back, take my truck back, take my credit cards. I'll be gone within few days." She stands up, taking Bobby and Hazel with her. Her mom stands up, following them to the door.

"What do you mean gone?" She turns and faces them, clinging to Bobby's hand for dear life.

"I don't want the camp or anything else if it means I can't have him. I'm moving with him to England. I've found my person and I'm not going to be manipulated into letting him go. I'm not a child you can force anymore. I am a grown woman who makes her own goddamn choices. I love him and that's all I need." She hugs her mom. "I love you, Mom. I'm sorry." She sniffles and walks out, dragging Bobby behind her. 

********

She stares at the TV, not paying attention the screen. Bobby looks over at her, worry taking over. _**What can I do? I hate seeing her looking so sad. I mean she has a right to feel so sad but it doesn't mean it's easy to watch. I need to do something, what would she do if it was?**_ He smiles, standing up. He turns on her music app on her phone, holding out his hand.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm making you feel better." She smiles at him, taking his hand. They dance for what feels like forever, dancing until she couldn't stop smiling. When a slow song comes on she lays her head against his chest, hearing his heart pounding. She smiles.

"You're heart is beating fast." She looks up at him.

"It beats fast every time we're close like this."

"So you still get the flurries when you see me?"

"Not sure what flurries are but yes. I do. Every single time." She bites her lip.

"Good, me too. Do you think it'll last forever?"

"Dinnae ken. Sometimes the flurries go away but the love grows stronger. So even if the flurries stop, I'm going to love you more than anything." 

"You're so cute." He smiles, kissing her softly. She wraps her arms around his neck, holding him closer. A knock on the door makes them pull apart. She frowns, walking over to answer it. "Mom, what are you doing here??" Bobby frowns, walking over to the door. 

"Are you really going to leave?" Bobby walks over, holding his hand out.

"Come sit down, Mrs. Matthews. You need to rest." She lets him help her inside to sit down on the couch.

"Thank you, dear."

"Do you want me to get you anything to drink? Water, tea, anything?" Jace watches him interact with her mom, the scene making her love him even more. 

"I'm fine." She looks at Jace. "Are you really going to leave?" Jace sighs.

"Yes, I am. I want to be with him and I'm not letting Dad bully me into being unhappy. He's my person, I will do anything to be with him." She sniffles.

"I don't want to lose you though." She sits next to her, taking her hand. 

"Mama, you're not losing me. Just because I won't be here doesn't mean you're losing me. I'll FaceTime you everyday, I promise."

"But what if this gets worse?"

"It will get worse, it's terminal unless you can get a transplant. But I'm sorry. If I have to choose between Dad and Bobby, I'm choosing Bobby." She looks at him, smiling. She walks over to him, taking his hand. "He's my person. He's the piece I didn't know I needed. He's the one who keeps me grounded, who reminds me to smile when things get tough, the reason I smile everyday." Her eyes shone with affection, making him smile. He hugs her tightly, holding onto her. He pulls away, one arm still around her. He looks at her mom.

"I'm really sorry I caused so many problems, Mrs. Matthews. I swear I didn't want to, I actually tried to avoid all this. That's why I left, so she could keep her life here and find someone to be happy with here. But I love Jace more than I ever thought possible. I'm going to marry her with or without his blessing, I want you both there though. Hate me all you want but be there because of her." Her mom smiles.

"I don't hate you, not even a little bit. I can see you two are very much in love, it's just Joe's stubborn ass. I'm gonna kill him even if it kills me to kill him." Jace smiles. 

"I'm sorry, Mom. I really am." She sighs.

"It's okay, hun. I'll do everything I can to get through to your father before you go. If he gives you his blessing, will you stay?" She shrugs.

"If it comes to that we'll figure it out." Her mom sighs, shaking her head.

"This man, I swear. He's as stubborn as a mule." 


	27. September 10, 2020

"Hellooooo." Jace smiles. 

"Hey, Chels."

"Jace! Its been forever. How'd England go?"

"Are you free? It's a lot to go through over the phone." 

"Give me an hour and I will be." 

"Is it okay if I invite Lottie and Arjun too?"

"Duh! Want me to invite Henrik?" 

"Um...not this time. It's a bit important." 

"Okie dokes. See you soon, hun."

"Love you."

"Love you too." She sighs, putting the phone down.

"How do you think she's going to react to us being back together?"

"I honestly don't know. She likes you but she doesn't like what you did. She didn't tell me a lot of what was happening because she said she was worried about me giving you another chance."

"Everyone was apparently."

"They just worry about me. They were worried about you though. Miles got pretty upset. He was always calling Chelsea about you."

"Really?" She nods. He cuddles into her closer. "I'm done being stupid, I promise." She smiles.

"I believe you." She bites her lip. "Hey, you wanna take a shower." He sits up, looking at her.

"My way or your way?"

"Your way." He pulls her to the side of the bed, picking her up. He carries her over his shoulder to the bathroom, her laugh echoing through the house. "I'm taking this as a yes then?"

"Uh, duh." He sets her down, kissing her passionately. He slides her robe off her shoulders, unhooking her bra. 

"You're so good at that." He smiles, pulling her close. He kisses her neck, grabbing a handful of her butt. "Babe...you're so handsy." 

"I can't help it. You're so damn sexy." She slides his boxers down, sliding her panties off next. He kisses her, making her lose her train of thought. She moans softly, making him smile. "You drive me crazy, lass." 

"I was just going to tell you the same thing." She smiles at him, taking his hand and leading him to the shower. He kisses her, her hands running all over him. Her kisses move to his neck, down his chest. She drags her nails down his chest, leaving light red marks. "What do you want to do to me?" She turns around, leaning into his bare chest. The steam from the shower surrounding them, his hands run over her body slowly. His kisses trailing up and down her shoulder. She pushes herself against him more, teasing him. She looks over her shoulder at him, making him lose control. His hands on her hips, they become one. He couldn't tell which way was what, all he knew was he loved these moments with her. Her sighs, her moans, the way she said his name, the way her skin felt against his. She turned around, kissing him. He pulls her closer, holding her leg up, his other hand resting against the wall. They refused to break their kiss, staying as close to each other as possible. 

"I love you." She moans again, her hand running into his hair.

"I love you too." She bites his lip, making the heat between them rise. Their spark erupted into fireworks, taking their breaths away. They fall over the edge together, clinging to each other. She leans her head against his chest, breathing heavy. "I swear I'll never get enough of you." 

********

He chews his lip nervously, clinging to her hand.

"Babe, it's gonna be fine."

"You're about to tell your best mates that we're back together and you're moving to England. One of them is pregnant...exactly how well are you expecting this to go?"

"I mean, true. But it'll be okay. They just care a lot."

"I know, which is great. I'm glad you have such amazing mates...but I fucked it up. They don't like me, which they shouldn't, but that does make this harder. It just..." He sighs, making her frown.

"What?" He shakes his head. "Come on, babe. Talk to me." He glances at her.

"I'm happy with you, the happiest I've ever been. Every moment with you is amazing, even when we fight. I'm going to spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you for hurting you. But it's hard because so many people in your life hate me. What if...what if they make you see that you can do better than me? What if I'm not enough one day?" She smiles, squeezing his hand.

"Bobby, I'm completely in love with you. 100% completely yours, I don't fall for just anyone. I don't give myself away to just anyone, up until now I haven't met anyone I thought was worthy. Which sounds really full of myself, but I know my worth. I choose you, and I'll always choose you. I don't care who is for us or against us. All I care is if you love me and I love you. If I have you, I have everything I'll ever need. So even if they get mad and this ends badly...I still have you. I hope I don't lose them too, but you're the one I care about most." He smiles, looking at her again.

"You really mean that?"

"With everything I am." He kisses her hand.

"How did I get so lucky to get you?"

"You showed up at my camp and got my attention from day one." He chuckles.

"What was it that made you choose me?"

"Just you. Everything about you. I love your laugh, how care free you are, your eyes, your accent, your freckles, your hair, the way you kiss me, the way you look at me, how great with kids you are, how great with dogs you are, how smart you are, how talented you are, how strong you are."

"Strong? Do I need to remind you why you threw shoes at me a few days ago?" She laughs.

"I mean, you survived losing your mom. You grew up watching your parents self destruct. You've seen a lot of horrible things but you still managed to find something to smile about. You figured out how to find the best things in horrible situations. That's what drew me to you the most." He blushes, making her smile. "And you look really cute when you blush." He pulls up to Chelsea's, sighing. She makes him look at her. "Hey, we'll be alright. Okay? Me and you, in this together." He smiles, kissing her.

"I love you."

"I love you more." He scrunches his nose.

"Not possible." She rolls her eyes, getting out of the truck. He clings to her hand while they wait at the door. Chelsea smiles when she sees Jace, it fading when she sees Bobby next to her.

"Oh no. I mean not no, just oh wow. Damn. I mean-" She sighs in frustration. "Lottie might kill him. She's not about this."

"Do you want to kill him?"

"Well, no. He's my boyfriend's best friend and my best friend's boyfriend. Wow that sounds weird. Oh shit, here we go." She lets them in, shutting the door behind them. "Let me sit down before this all kicks off." She walks into the living room, ahead of them. "Jace is here!" Jace turns the corner smiling at them.

"Hey, babes." She hugs everyone before they sit down again. Lottie frowns.

"So what's this news? Why are we here?" She sighs.

"Well, I have a lot to go through. We-" She turns to see Bobby not behind her. She sighs, walking into the hallway to drag him back inside the living room. Arjun's jaw drops, Lottie glares at him. 

"What is he doing here??" Jace crosses her arms.

"You know exactly what he's doing here." Arjun frowns.

"So you're back together then?"

"Yes, we are."

"Is that why you went to England?" 

"No." Lottie scoffs. "I'm serious! At first I went because he was about to drink himself into a hole and I couldn't sit by and let it happen. No one could get through to him, not Miles or Gary. Not even Nan, which is really scary I might add. I was the last chance and I had to help him." Arjun's expression softens.

"What exactly happened?" She looks at him, squeezing his hand. She smiles at him, making his nerves calm down. He looks back at the others.

"Look, I swear I wasn't trying to break her heart. I knew it would hurt when I left but I thought if I stayed the whole two months it would've been a lot harder. I thought it might hurt less if I left when I did. I didn't plan on falling in love with a girl that lived in a completely different country. But I did and I didn't know what to do. When I went home the only way I could stop thinking about her was when I was drunk. I guess I didn't realize how out of control it got." Chelsea smiles.

"So you're okay now? Have you talked to Miles?"

"Aye, everything's fixed with us. By the way, congratulations. He told me." She squeals, running up to him and hugging him. 

"Thank you!! I'm so excited!!!" He laughs, hugging her back.

"I can tell, so is he." Arjun frowns again.

"But if you were worried about the distance thing before, what changed?" Jace takes a deep breath.

"That's the other thing. Long story short, my dad took the camp from me and I walked away from my inheritance. So I'm going back home with him." The three of them gape at her, complete silence taking over. Lottie stands up angrily.

"So you're going to just take him back and move to England, just like that? What about us? We're your friends, do we not matter anymore?"

"Of course you matter. But I had to choose Dad or Bobby and...the way we feel about each other. I can't just walk away from it. You always say there's a soul twin for everyone, right? He's mine. We haven't exactly had a good start but I know he's it." Arjun clears his throat.

"What brought your dad to take the camp?" Jacinda smiles, looking up at Bobby. She wraps her arms around his waist. 

"We want to get married. We aren't engaged or anything yet, we're waiting on the right time. But we've decided one way or another we're getting married." He couldn't hide the smile he got, his heart pounding as he looked into her eyes. He put his hand on her cheek, leaning his head against hers.

"I'm definitely going to marry you. You hold me down and I hold you down. You choose me and I choose you. I swear I'll choose you everyday for the rest of my life." Chelsea sniffles, wiping her eyes. "Chels...are you okay?" She nods.

"Yes...no. I don't know. I'm so happy you two are happy. I'm so happy you two have decided this is what you want and I want you two to work out and get all of that. But I'm losing my best friend." Jace hugs her.

"You're not losing me. I'll still talk to you all the time. We'll FaceTime and text all the time. And I'll be here for your baby shower and when the baby is born. One way or another I'm coming back to visit. Even if Bobby has to whore himself out to pay for it." Bobby shrugs.

"I mean I would if I had to. How much you think I could charge?" Chelsea smiles, giggling. Jace smiles at her.

"See? I'm gonna be here for you. Distance doesn't mean I don't love you." She nods, sniffling. 

"It's just gonna be hard not seeing you all the time." Chelsea hugs her tightly. 

"It's gonna be hard for me too." Bobby looks at them sadly, guilt hitting him. Lottie looks at him, her face softening. She meets Arjun's eyes, he shrugs. Jace turns to see Bobby's face, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"We've talked about this." She kisses his nose. "I made this choice, not you."

"I just wish you didn't have to choose. I mean, I love you and I'm so happy you love me as much as I love you...but you loving me is making you make a lot of choices you wouldn't have to if you didn't have me."

"True, but then I wouldn't have you. Having you is the best part." Lottie groans.

"Fine, I don't hate you." He looks at her confused.

"Er, what?"

"I want to hate you because you hurt her, but it's hard to when I see you two together. I just wish...she didn't have to go."

"I don't have to go, I'm choosing to go. I could stay if I broke up with Bobby, I'd keep everything except him. But I'm not going to let go of my happiness just for materialistic things. If I have Bobby, I don't need anything else." He smiles, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. He kisses her cheek, making her smile. Arjun smiles, tears in his eyes.

"I wish we didn't have to say goodbye...but I'm really happy for you two. Invite us to the wedding, yeah?" 

"Oh, duh. I'm gonna need you three there." Lottie smiles.

"We'd do anything to be there." Arjun and Lottie stand, hugging Jace. She beams at them as they pull away.

"And that's why you're my best friends. I wish we could all just go to England." Chelsea shrugs.

"If Miles goes to England I will too." Lottie raises her eyebrows.

"What? Are you serious right now?"

"Well yeah. I love him and we're having a kid together. It would be so much easier to raise this kid together. One of us is going to have to move closer at some point." Arjun frowns.

"If you both go then I am too." Lottie scoffs.

"And y'all are just gonna leave me behind?"

"You and Kassam can room with me! I don't have a boo and I'd be alone." She smiles.

"I wouldn't mind that. I wonder if Kassam would be up for it...." Jace takes Chelsea's hand.

"Do you think Katrina would be up to go too?? I mean her and Gary seem to really be getting on. He did fly all the way here just to see her." 

"He did??? I guess that's why she hasn't been answering the phone..." Bobby shrugs.

"Probably. Also don't drop by unannounced, I think we can figure out why they've been off the radar." Arjun smirks.

"Oh they're definitely doing it. They haven't seen each other in months." Lottie gags.

"Don't make me sick. I really don't want to think about Gary doing anything." Jace chuckles.

"Same! I don't want to think about my cousin having sex." Bobby shrugs.

"He doesn't complain when we have sex." She stares at him in shock. "You aren't exactly quiet, lass." She blushes.

"But I'm sure he doesn't want to hear about it."

"I mean we don't talk about it past, we slept together. But he knows." Arjun waves a hand dismissively.

"That's less than what she's told us." Bobby stares at her in shock.

"Jacinda! You tell them details!?" Lottie smirks, looking Bobby over.

"I've heard a lot about you and what you can do." He blushes, rubbing his face.

"This conversation is not happening right now." Jace blushes.

"Take it as a compliment?" He gives her a pointed look. "I'm sorry, it's just what we do. You're telling me you've never talked to Miles about us?"

"I don't tell him details, just general stuff. He doesn't know all the...little details. Wait, what exactly have you told them?" Chelsea smiles.

"We know you're blessed." He looks away, blushing.

"Oh shit." Arjun chuckles.

"We know what your favorite position is." 

"Damn it, Jace!" Lottie smiles.

"But we also know about the intimacy between you. The sweetness, the tenderness. The feelings. We don't just hear the sexy stuff." He sighs, looking at her. She walks up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I'm sorry, babe. I promise I won't tell them anymore details. Do you forgive me?" She pouts at him, batting her eyelashes. He smiles.

"Fine, but no more details. And we're also going to pretend this conversation didn't happen and that you lot don't know this much about me." Jace pulls him to the couch, sitting next to him. 

"I don't even know what you're talking about." He rolls his eyes, putting his arm around her.

"You're lucky I love you." 

"I love you too." She kisses him, cuddling into him.


	28. September 17, 2020

She sighs, clinging to his hand. She looks at her favorite boys on either side of her, looking back at the house in front of them. 

"Time to say goodbye I guess." She walks forward, refusing to let him go. They follow her inside, being met by her mom silently crying. Her heart aches. "Hey, Mama." She turns and smiles.

"There she is." She walks over, hugging her tightly. "Promise to call me as soon as you land?"

"Of course I will." 

"You got everything you need? I'll make sure everything else gets to you as soon as possible." She nods.

"I do. Thank you." She hugs her again tightly, tears streaming down both of their faces. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, honey. So so much. If I wasn't sick I'd be kicking his ass right now." She chuckles.

"I know. It's okay, I'm going to be fine."

"I know you will. You've always been so strong, I just wish you didn't have to be." For a few minutes no one says anything, their soft sobs echoing throughout the house. She finally pulls away, wiping her face. Her mom looks at Bobby, waving him over. "Your turn." She pulls him in for a hug, hugging him tightly. He hugs her back, trying to make her feel better the best he could. "You take care of her, okay? That's my baby you've got."

"I promise I will." Jacinda smiles, tears streaming down her face as she watches them.

"Love her like she deserves, she chose you. I'm happy you two found each other, I'm sorry he's such an ass."

"It's okay, I kinda deserve it."

"No you don't. You're a good man, you're more than worthy of her." He felt his eyes stinging. "I'm trusting you with her, don't let me regret it." He nods.

"I won't, I swear I'll love her the rest of our lives." She sniffles, pulling back. She smiles at him, touching his cheek. 

"Good. It's nice to have a son now too." He smiles at her, fighting back his own tears. She motions for Gary. "Now my favorite nephew."

"I'm you're only nephew."

"It still counts." He chuckles.

"Whatever you say."

"I know you'll protect her, you always have."

"Always will."

"Tell Nan I said hi and that I love her and miss her."

"I will." She sniffles.

"Okay, y'all better get going. A lot of goodbyes I'm sure." He nods, smiling at her. 

"Yeah, she's got a village behind her." 

"She has that about her, people just can't help but adore her." Jace smiles, leaning against Bobby. As they walk to the door she sees her dad looking at her sadly from the doorway to the dining room. She just looks at him a minute, taking Bobby's hand. She turns back to the door, Bobby pulls her back.

"Jace..." She looks at him confused. "Say goodbye." She frowns.

"He's why all this is happening in the first place." Bobby wipes the tears off her cheek.

"He's your dad, I know you still love him. Go say goodbye, you'll regret it." She looks at him for a long minute, her expression softening. She runs over to her dad, hugging him tightly. She sniffles, kissing his cheek. She runs back over to Bobby, hugging him. She takes his hand, quickly leading them out. 

********

As they walk up to her house she sighs.

"Oh no." Bobby frowns.

"What?" She points to a strange car in front of her house. "Who's that?" She sighs, walking ahead of him. Gary puts a hand on his arm.

"Stay back."

"Who is it?"

"Lucas." 

"What? That lad she dated?"

"Yeah...just give her a minute." He sighs, standing beside Gary. He looks up at her as she walks up the porch steps.

"Jace! You're okay."

"Of course I'm okay, why wouldn't I be?" 

"You've been ignoring my calls. I heard you came back to town and when you still hadn't called me I got worried." She sighs.

"I'm sorry, I've been pretty busy."

"That's okay...so is everything okay? You look like you've been crying." She clears her throat.

"Um, I'm moving."

"What? Where?"

"To England."

"Why?" He looks over seeing Gary and Bobby. "Jace...who's that?" She looks over, smiling at him.

"That's Bobby."

"Oh...so...I'm guessing you're back together."

"Yeah...I'm really sorry, Lucas. I wanted to tell you when I got back home but things got pretty crazy." He nods.

"So you were just gonna keep ignoring me and move away." She shakes her head.

"I didn't exactly plan on just up and leaving, I swear. I was just visiting England and then-"

"He convinced you to move there?"

"No, not at all."

"Then what? What about the camp? Your parents? Your friends?" She sighs.

"My dad took the camp away because he wants me to break up with Bobby. I gave up everything else. It sucks about my dad and I hate making my mom cry..."

"Then why go? Why do this?"

"Because I love him and he loves me."

"Is that why he left?"

"Yeah, actually it is. I know it sounds stupid or cliché or whatever, but it's true. We want to get married."

"You want to marry the guy breaking up your family? The one that made you lose this camp? You've poured your life into this camp."

"I know I have...but yeah. He's not the one breaking up my family, my dad is. He didn't make me lose the camp, my dad did. Which is why it hurts so much. My dad would rather me be unhappy here than happy with Bobby. He made me choose him or Bobby. And I love Bobby too much to let him go." She looks at Bobby again, smiling. He meets her eyes, matching her smile. "This is something I can't let slip away. How I feel about him is so strong, he's it. He's the one I want, he's my lifeline. I can't make it without him anymore." She looks back at Lucas sadly. "I'm so so sorry. I really am." He sighs.

"I know you are." He smiles sadly. "I wish I had met you first, maybe I would've had a chance. But it's always been him, I've know that since I met you." She smiles at him, taking his hand. 

"Maybe if I had met you first things would be different, but we can't hang onto the what if's, right?" He nods.

"Right." He looks over at Bobby again. "I hope you two are really happy together, Jace. I hope it works this time and you get everything you want." She smiles, kissing his cheek.

"Thank you. I'm sorry it didn't work out with us...I know whoever ends up with you is going to be very lucky. They'll be getting an amazing guy." He smiles.

"Thanks. Maybe we'll run into each other again one day."

"Maybe. Who knows what the universe will throw my way anymore." He chuckles, squeezing her hand. 

"Goodbye, Jace." She smiles at him.

"Goodbye, Lucas."

********

As soon as they pull up to his house, he runs outside and hugs Bobby tightly.

"I wish you didn't have to go." He holds him close, trying his best not to cry.

"Me too, Robbie....but we both know I have to." For a while neither of them talk, they just hug. Jace cries some more, her face soaked in salty tears. Gary rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. Eventually, he pulls back and looks at him. 

"You promise to call me?"

"Absolutely. I swear I'll call you all the time. We're mates, right?" Robbie smiles.

"Aye." He chuckles.

"I love that you've picked up on my lingo. Girls love it. How do you think I got this one to go for me." He wiggles his eyebrows, making Robbie laugh. Jacinda rolls her eyes, smiling.

"You two, I swear. You're just alike." Robbie comes over, hugging her tightly.

"I'm going to miss you too, Jace. I hope your happy over there. Don't forget me, yeah?"

"I could never forget you."

"My dad says hi by the way." Her smile brightens.

"He's doing good then?" He nods.

"Yeah, really good. He says he's not ready to leave yet but he's really happy he chose me." She wipes another tear away.

"I am too. I guess all he needed was a good scolding." Robbie smiles.

"I guess so." He hugs her again. "Thank you for everything. Helping with my mom, helping with my dad, and bringing Bobby back." She wipes another tear away.

"You're very welcome. I'm glad I could help you, I wanted you to remember you're never alone." He nods.

"I do now, thanks." He watches them drive away, waving until they're out of sight. Jace looks over at Bobby, silent tears falling. She takes his hand, kissing the back of it. He looks over at her and smiles. She wipes his face.

"I know it's hard leaving him, but we'll see him again. I have a feeling he won't let you disappear on him." He chuckles.

"I think so too. He has a really familiar fire in him." He kisses her softly. She sighs.

"I love you so much." 

"I love you too." Gary clears his throat. "I love you too, Gary. I'd never forget my best mate."

"Wouldn't kill you to say it once in a while." Bobby laughs.

"I'm sorry you've been feeling left out. You know I love you too." He smiles at him.

"Ah, come off it, Bobby. I'm really happy for you guys. And I'm happy Jacey is finally coming to England! I've been trying to get her to do this for years!" She laughs.

"He really has, been trying my whole adult life."

"And it's finally happening!! I can't believe we're gonna be flatmates! Just keep sexy time where I can't walk in and see it."

"Sexy time?" He shrugs.

"That's what Katrina calls it."

"That's adorable. How did your visit go? We didn't see you the whole time." He smiles.

"Well she's officially my girlfriend, so it went really good. We just spent the whole time just being together. Being with her is just amazing, even if we're just cuddling on her couch watching telly. The more I get to know her, the more I want to know about her. I just can't get enough of her." Bobby meets Jace's eyes, smiling.

"I know exactly how that feels. Being with them is better than anything else in the world. Nothing feels right until you hear their voice." She blushes, holding his hand. Gary chuckles.

"I guess I know how it feels then. I can see why you don't leave each others side until you have to. I almost asked her if she wanted to come home with us." Jace frowns.

"Why didn't you?"

"We just became official, it would be insane." 

"Hun, time lines don't determine your feelings. We've barely been in an official relationship but I'm moving in with him and we're already planning our future." 


	29. December 4, 2020

Bobby walks in, hearing her blasting her music. He turns the corner, seeing her dancing in the kitchen. She puts the wooden spoon down, looking at Hazel as she sings along. He leans against the wall, watching her. She sees him watching, taking his hand and pulling her over to him. She puts his hands on her hips, her arms around his neck, making him dance with her. He takes her hand, spinning her around. She picks up the spoon again, singing into it. He laughs, pulling her into his arms. She smiles, looking up into his eyes. She wraps her arms around his neck again, holding him closer. She frowns when she's the look in his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Absolutely nothing. I can't believe I'm so lucky to get to come home to you. I love watching you dance in the kitchen when you cook. I love seeing your face every morning when I wake up. I love seeing you sing to Hazel. I love seeing our clothes in the dresser and closet together. I love how my bed smells like your shampoo now. I love seeing you everyday when we get home from work." She smiles, kissing him.

"I'm happy too. I didn't know I could be this happy." He takes her hand in his, tangling their fingers together. He kisses the back of her hand, resting them against his chest. He looks into her eyes, his nerves hitting him.

"Will you marry me?" She stares at him, his words slowly registering.

"Really?" He nods.

"Make me the happiest man in the world. I love you more than I ever thought possible and I never want to be without you again. So, Jacinda Matthews, will you marry me?" Her eyes start watering, a smile spreading across her face. She sniffles, nodding.

"Yes."

"Yes?" She laughs, nodding again.

"Yes, I'll marry you! Of course I will." He kisses her passionately, getting lost in their blissful moment together. He pulls away, unable to stop the floating feeling he had. He reaches in his pocket, pulling out a little box. She gasps. "When did you get this?"

"That's for me to know and you to figure out." She smiles, looking up at him.

"You're slick." He opens it, pulling the ring out. She holds out her hand, letting him put the ring on her. She looks down at it, tears of joy spilling over. She looks at it, sniffling. She looks up at him again. "You just made me the happiest woman on earth." She bites her lip. "We're engaged....we're engaged!" She jumps on him, wrapping her legs around him and making him laugh. 

"What's all this?" They turn to see Gary putting his keys and wallet on the counter. She holds out her hand, her ring glittering in the light. He smiles at them.

"You asked her??" She nods, looking down at Bobby.

"Yes he did. We're getting married." She kisses him again, making him smile.

"You're gonna be Mrs. McKenzie." She squeals.

"Yes!" She hugs him. "I can't believe we're actually getting married." She gets down, looking at her ring. He kisses her temple.

"I can't wait." She looks up at him, affection shining in her eyes.

"You hold me down, I hold you down. You choose me and I choose you." 

"Always." She kisses him again, soaking up the moment as best she could. She finally pulls away, sighing. 

"Okay, I need to focus on dinner... for my fiancé." He chuckles, kissing her hand.

"I'm gonna go take a quick shower." He goes to their room, leaving her watching him walk away. Gary clears his throat, making her turn around. She smiles, picking up the spoon again to stir the contents of the pot. 

"So you're engaged."

"I am, to the man of my dreams."

"Congratulations, Jacey. I'm really happy for you two."

"Thank you. So how long did you know?"

"I've known since you came back he was going to he just had to get the ring."

"How did he get it so quickly?"

"Mmm, nope. I'm not getting in trouble." She arches an eyebrow.

"Gary Rennell...."

"Nope, ask him. I'm staying out of it." 

"Rude."

"I'm not being rude, I'm just not doing anything to get in trouble." She rolls her eyes.

"I see who's side you're on."

"Yeah, yours. Who do you think helped him pick the ring out?"

"You didn't."

"Duh. We figured since we both know you so well we'd be able to figure out which one you would like. Speaking of which..." She smiles.

"I love it, it's perfect. It's not too flashy, but still sparkly. It's not over the top and glamorous, it's just my style." 

"Then we did good then?"

"Definitely. Wait until I call my mom, she's gonna flip. In a good way of course."

"How do you think your dad is going to react?"

"Probably not good. We haven't talked since I left." Her smile fades, hurt flashing across her features. 

"I'm sorry, Jace." She shrugs.

"I just wish he would see how happy he makes me. If he could just put his stubborn pride away for a minute he would see how unbelievably happy I am with him. I miss everyone back in America, but I've never felt this happy before." 

"He will one day. He just needs more time, it's hard for him." 

"I know, but still. He's putting what he wants for me above what I want for me."

"True...he means well he just doesn't know how to do well." 

"I just wish he would get over this already. He knows I mean it when I say I choose Bobby, I'll always choose Bobby. He knows I mean it when I say I'm going to marry Bobby with or without him...but I do want him there."

"Maybe he will after he hears you two are officially engaged." 

"I hope so." She looks down at her hand again, smiling.

********

Bobby puts his arm around her shoulders as they wait for her mom to answer the call. A second later her mom's smiling face appears.

"Hey! I'm so glad y'all called, I miss y'all." Jacinda smiles at her.

"We miss you to, Mama. How are you feeling today?" She shrugs.

"Good as I can for now."

"No word yet on a donor?"

"Nope, not yet. How was y'alls day?" Jacinda looks at Bobby smiling.

"It was really good. That's why we wanted to call actually."

"Oh? What is it?" Jacinda holds up her hand, showing her mom the ring. Her mom screams loudly, making Gary jump from across the room. "OH MY GOD!!! HE PROPOSED!!!!" She heard her dad yell off screen.

"HE WHAT????" Her mom frowns at him.

"He proposed, Joe. You know the thing they told you they wanted and you acted like a pigheaded, self absorbed, manipulative asshole. He actually proposed, and it's a gorgeous ring too. Looks like he didn't need that stupid inheritance after all." Bobby tries to hide his smile. She looked back at them. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you two!!!" 

"Thanks, Mom! We're really happy too." She looks at Bobby, unable to contain her smile.

"Tell me everything! I want to know all the details." Bobby watched her talk to her, her smile never leaving her face. Her eyes glimmered with joy, making his heart beat faster. _**I swear I'm the luckiest guy in the world, I'm going to marry the woman of my dreams.**_

********

He watches her brush her hair from the bed, admiring every detail about her. She notices him watching in the mirror.

"What?"

"You're just so gorgeous." She blushes.

"You always say that."

"Because it's true and I want you to know remember it." She turns to him.

"It's a good thing you put a ring on it then." He chuckles.

"It is, I get to marry the most amazing woman in the world." She gets on the bed, crawling over to him. She lays next to him, looking at him.

"I love you." 

"I love you too." She leans forward, kissing him. He pulls her closer, running his hand down her side. She puts her leg over his side, biting his lip. He runs his hand up her shirt, groping her. She moans softly.

"Mr. McKenzie, you're so handsy." He smiles.

"I can't help it, you drive me crazy, Mrs. McKenzie." He pulls her shirt up, taking her nipple in his mouth. He reaches inside her shorts, rubbing her. 

"Fuck." He sits up, pulling her to him and kissing her as he pulls her shorts off. She pulls his shorts and boxers off, stroking him. 

"Get up and turn around." He gets between her legs, putting his mouth on her. Her moans growing louder, the more pressure he used. 

"Bobby, stop." She turns around, leaning over and taking him in her mouth. He moans, biting his lip.

"Fuck, lass." They take their time pleasing each other, losing all sense of time. He holds off until she comes, her moan making him release the built up pressure. She laid down next to him, curled up into his chest. She looks up at him, counting every freckle, following every curve of his face, finally looking into his eyes.

"You're so beautiful." He smiles.

"I don't think anyone has ever told me I was beautiful before." 

"You are." He moves her hair off her shoulder, tucking some behind her ear.

"I think that's just cause you love me."

"No, I thought so before I fell in love with you." 

"I've never met anyone like you."

"Lucky me." He chuckles, shaking his head.

"I'd say I'm the lucky one."

"Okay, what kind of wedding do you want?"

"I've never really thought about it. Nothing super extravagant though. Not too over the top, other than that it doesn't matter to me. Whatever you want, as long as it ends with you being my wife." 

"Oddly enough, I never thought about the details. All I knew is I wanted to marry someone who felt like my other half."

"And do you think I am?"

"Duh, I said yes didn't I?"

"I mean yeah...but you could've changed your mind. Or you still could change your mind..." She frowns.

"No. I won't. You're it, you're my person. You're my one and I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together."

"Good." He kisses her cheek, moving down her neck. "I don't know what I'd do without you." She pulls him closer, biting her lip.

"I don't know what I'd do without you too. You're everything to me." He gently moves her legs aside, putting his fingers in her and making her moan. "Fuck, I love you."

"I love you too." She kisses him hard, her moans being stifled by his lips. 

"Make love to me." He moans softly, positioning himself between her legs. He slowly enters her, making her moan again. He keeps the pace slow and sensual. Worshiping every part of her the best he can without losing control. Her affection for him shined in her eyes, the way she said his name sent tingles up his spine. He felt their souls connect every time he looked into her eyes, his body aching to be as close as possible. Their moans and whispers filled the room, their heat for each other consuming the atmosphere. "I'm gonna come." She bit his lip, digging her nails into him as she came, pushing him over the edge. He collapses next to her, kissing her shoulder. 

"I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you, lass." She smiles.

"Me too, babe. You make me the happiest woman in the world." He smiles, holding her closer. 

"I knew going to America was gonna be a good thing."

"I'm glad Gary convinced you to go."

"Me too. I'll have to remember to thank him one day." She laughs.

"You wanna thank my cousin for hooking us up?"

"Duh, without him I would've never found you."

"I mean true...." He moves her hair over her shoulder, kissing it.

"I never knew love could feel like this."

"I did...but I'm glad it was with you." She kisses him again, cuddling into his chest. The sound of his heartbeat rang through her like music, making her instantly relax completely. She sighs contentedly. Before she falls asleep he kisses her cheek.

"I love you, Jace."

"I love you too, Bobby."


	30. December 20, 2020

She laid in bed curled up next to him, asleep in each others arms. Her phone rings, making her groan.

"It's Sunday, I'm off." He smiles, opening his eyes.

"You better answer it. I'll go make us some tea." She sits up grumpily.

"Okay...only if I get sexy time afterwards." He kisses her gently.

"Aboslutely." He gets up, leaving her to it. She frowns at the phone, answering it.

"Dad?"

"Thank God you answered."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Your mother is in the hospital."

"What?? Why? Is it her kidney?"

"Yeah...it's gotten a lot worse." 

"Oh God. How bad?"

"Her last hope is a transplant."

"Fuck." She sighs, putting her head in her hand. "Damn it."

"Are you gonna come see her?"

"I'm in England...I haven't saved up quite enough yet. Almost. The next couple days were gonna finish it off to visit for Christmas."

"I'll pay for it."

"It's for two. Three if Gary wants to come." He sighs.

"Do you have to bring-"

"My fiancé? Yes I do."

"Alright. Fine. Three tickets."

"You know if it wasn't for Mom, I'd tell you to burn somewhere. But I need to see her so it's gonna slide for now."

"Alright. I'll call the airport now. Are you coming today or tomorrow?"

"Today."

"Okay, I'll get it arranged. Tell me what airport."

"Okay." She hangs up, resting her arms on her legs and putting her face in both hands. Bobby walks back in.

"What's wrong?" He sets the cups down, getting into bed next to her. She shakes her head, trying not to cry yet. He pulls her to him, wrapping his arms around her. She leans against his chest, starting to lose control of her emotions. He rubs her back gently. "Hey, shh. I've got you." She finally loses her battle, the tears falling. He holds her tighter, not asking anymore questions. He waits until she speaks. She looks up at him, her eyes red. He wipes her tears away.

"My mom is in the hospital. My dad said he'll have three tickets waiting for us at the airport." Bobby gives her an uncomfortable look. "I know, I wouldn't accept if it wasn't for Mom. I have to go...and I need you there. I'm not sure if I'm strong enough to do this without you. I-"

"Hey, you know I'll be there. I wasn't thinking about refusing. I'm there, love. I've got you. I'll be right beside you the whole time, okay?" She nods, sniffling.

"Okay. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." He hugs her again. "Whatever happens we'll deal with it together." She nods, letting him hold her a few more minutes. She sniffles, sitting up again. 

"Okay, I'm gonna go tell Gary."

"Okay, I'll start getting things packed." She looks at him gratefully.

"Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you." She kisses him softly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you."

"I love you too, Jace." She smiles at him, kissing him quickly.

"Okay, I need to go talk to Gary." 

********

She looks up at the hospital doors, clinging to his hand. Her legs felt like lead, unable to move. Gary takes her other hand, giving it a squeeze.

"No matter what, we've got you." She smiles at him, squeezing his hand back.

"Thanks." She looks at Bobby. "Both of you." He kisses her hand.

"Anything for you. You know we're always right behind you." She looks back at the doors and sighs. 

"I guess we should go in then." 

"Only when you're ready." Gary answers. She counts to three and the three of them walk inside together. She walks into her mom's room, her mom immediately smiling.

"Jace!! You're here!" Jace walks over to her, kissing her cheek. She sits on the bed, holding her hand.

"Of course I did, Mama. You know I had to be here for you." Her mom's eyes water.

"I wish it wasn't under these circumstances though." She looks over at Bobby and Gary. "There's my favorite son and nephew." Bobby smiles, walking over. He kisses her cheek.

"Hey, Mrs.-"

"Mom." 

"Hey, Mum." Gary hugs her.

"How you feeling Auntie?"

"You know...I've been better." She looks down at Jace's hand. "Now let me see this ring!" She gasps. "It's gorgeous! Where did you get it?" Jace answers before Bobby can say anything.

"He took on a second job. Which I'm not happy about...but I appreciate." She looks at him sternly. He glares at Gary.

"Really? What part of 'Don't tell Jace' didn't click?" Gary looks up at the ceiling.

"In my defense, I told her not to say anything."

"Like I told you not to say anything?" 

"Okay, you have a point there." Jace rolls her eyes, looking back at Sandy.

"Anyway, have you seen the doctor yet?"

"Not yet. Your father went downstairs to get himself something to eat. He should be back soon." Jace sighs. "Still not talking?"

"Not since he called me. I'm not giving in, he's the one acting like an ass."

"I'm your side, I don't need you to explain that to me." Jace laughs.

"True." The door opens, making them look over. Her dad walks in, followed by the doctor. The doctor looks around and smiles.

"Looks like we've got a full house. I'm guessing this one is your daughter." He smiles at Jace holding out his hand. "I'm Dr. James. I'm her doctor for the time being, her usual doctor is on vacation right now." Jace smiles, shaking his hand.

"Hi, I'm Jace." He looks at the boys.

"And who are these two?" Sandy smiles proudly at them.

"This one is my nephew, Gary. And this handsome young man is my future son-in-law, Bobby." He shakes both their hands.

"Nice to meet you two." Jace moves to sit beside Bobby while the doctor checks her vitals. Bobby puts his arm around her, she takes his hand. She chews on her lip, waiting for him to finish. When he gets done, he has a serious look on his face.

"What's your verdict?" Her grip on Bobby's hand tightens. He looks at her sadly.

"It's not looking good. Her only hope at this point is to find a kidney donor. She's on the transplant list but she's not exactly first in line to get the next match." Jace keeps her strong face on, nodding her head. She gives him a faint smile.

"Thank you."

"I'll give you some time to visit." Bobby looks at her, seeing her hiding the pain. He pulls her closer, she rest her head against his chest. For a minute no one says anything. Her mom clears her throat, wiping her eyes.

"So, this wedding. Got a date?"

"Mama, we don't-"

"Jacinda don't you dare tell me we don't need to do this right now. I may not be around for the wedding so I want to be as involved as I can. We're doing this. Do you have a date?" Jace sighs, smiling at her mom. Bobby chuckles.

"I see where Jace gets her strength...and attitude." Sandy smiles proudly.

"You know it. Now, date?"

"We don't have one yet. It's whatever date she wants. I don't have any special dates for me." Jace rolls her eyes.

"You do, you just don't want to use them."

"Can you blame me?" She looks at him a minute.

"No. I'm sorry." Her dad gives them an unreadable look. "What?"

"Nothing. I just thought he'd want to be more involved."

"Joe." Jace holds up her hand.

"He is. But I don't blame him for not having an opinion on this part. It's just the date."

"What? He doesn't have parents?" Jace goes to say something, Bobby interrupts.

"My mum died of an overdose when I was young. My dad ran off after she died. My granny raised me." Her mom hits her dads arm.

"Damn it, Joe. Can't you just shut up once in a while? Do you have to start shit and make everything tense? This is the first time we've seen our daughter in person. Rather you like it or not she's an adult and perfectly able to make her own choices. Either be nice or shut up." Gary raises his eyebrows.

"I'm, uh, I'm going to go get something to eat. Wanna come Bobby? I urge you to say yes." Bobby smiles.

"I actually need to go call Miles. I told him I'd let him know when we got here." He kisses her cheek. "I'll be right back, I promise." She smiles at him.

"Okay. Hurry back."

"I promise." She kisses him softly before letting him go. He walks out with Gary, seeing Dr. James talking to a nurse. He stands there looking at him a minute. Gary frowns.

"What's wrong?" He looks at him.

"I'm gonna go call Miles real quick. I'll meet you downstairs."

"Alright." He walks off leaving him alone.

********

Bobby sat with Jace's head in his lap, her fast asleep. He covered her up with an extra blanket the nurse brought him. Her mom was asleep in her bed, Gary was asleep in a chair. Only Bobby and her dad were awake. Her dad read a book while Bobby played on his phone. He looked down at Jace's sleeping face, smiling. He gently moves a strand of hair out of her face. _**How did I get so lucky? How could someone so gorgeous see me and decide I'm it, I'm the one she wants?**_

"Give it time." He looks up to see her dad looking at him. "She'll see it sooner or later." He doesn't say anything. "She'll see she deserves better. When her mum dies she'll hate you for keeping her away. She'll resent you. Give it time." Bobby doesn't say anything, he just looks back down at Jace. _**She won't hate me, I didn't ask her to come. I didn't make her come. She told me she was coming rather I liked it or not. She made that choice. She won't hate me, she won't resent me....right? You get pretty emotional when you lose someone, maybe she will change her mind. No. No she won't. She loves me. She chose me, she loves me. She loves me....God please don't let her hate me for this.**_

********

Jace looks up at him, frowning. She sits up, looking at the bags under his eyes.

"You didn't sleep?"

"I did a little bit."

"Don't lie to me, I know when you're lying." He smiles at her.

"I'm fine, lass. I'll sleep soon." She crosses her arms.

"Robert McKenzie."

"Yes, dear?"

"Go. To. Sleep. We still have a couple hours before morning." She stands up. "Let me pee first." He smiles, watching her leave. A minute later she sits next to him again, patting her lap. He leans forward kissing her, his hand on her cheek. After a few breathless minutes he pulls away. "What was that for?"

"I...just love you." He kisses her softly, laying down on her lap. She covers him up, playing with his hair. He quickly falls asleep. She watches him sleep a little bit, frowning. 

"What's wrong?" She looks up and sees her mom looking at her.

"Nothing."

"Jacinda."

"I just...I don't know."

"Having reservations?"

"No! Never. I just have this feeling...something's bothering him. But he doesn't want to tell me." Her mom nods slowly.

"Ahh. Men do that a lot. They don't like admitting feelings."

"He usually doesn't hide them anymore...but if he's not telling me...that worries me. Do you think...."

"No. Not even a little bit. He's so in love with you. He's not going anywhere." She smiles, looking back down at Bobby.

"Mom....I love him. More than anything. I don't want to lose him."

"You won't."

"I hope not. I'm marrying him, no matter what. He's it, he's the love of my life. I'm not letting him go. I never expected this kind of love to exist." She looks up. "Is that how you feel about Daddy?"

"Without a doubt. He's an ass, but he's my ass. I've loved him since the day I met him. I couldn't wait to marry him. He's just stubborn, but he's the greatest man I know." She smiles.

"I wanted what you and Dad have."

"You have it. He just needs time. One day he'll see it, he's just scared." She nods, looking back down at him. She loved every freckle, every curve of his face, every dread. "So he came from a broken family too?"

"He's the one that found his mom...he was 14. He lost both his parents at once in very different ways."

"How long did it take for him to work through that?"

"He was still trying to when we met. He hasn't exactly gotten through it...but he's made progress. He's the strongest person I know. When Robbie was dealing with losing his mom Bobby ignored himself to be there for him. He always worries about everyone else, putting himself last. Even if it means he's making himself suffer."

"He sounds like a really selfless guy."

"He is...he really is. He's always the first to be there for anyone, even if he doesn't know them." 

"I can see why you love him then." She smiles, moving a piece of his hair out of his face.

"More than I ever thought possible."


	31. December 22, 2020

Bobby looks at the time, sighing. He looks at Jace.

"I'm gonna go get something to eat and shower and what not. I'll call you when I'm on my way back."

"Want me to go with you?"

"No, it's okay. Stay and wait for your mum." She pouts, making him laugh. "I promise, I'm coming back. We have the rest of our lives together." 

"Fiiine." He looks at her for a long time. "What?" He shakes his head, kissing her. He kisses her like he won't see her again. She blushes when he pulls away. "What was that for?"

"I love you." 

"I love you too." He kisses her one last time, walking out the room. She frowns, running after him.

"Bobby." He turns and sees her, walking over to her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Can't I just love you?" He wiggles his eyebrows, deepening her frown. 

"You're hiding something. I know you are, what aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing. I just love you." He steps closer to her, running his thumb across her lip. "I love you, lass." She looks at him, fear in her eyes.

"I'm worried about you."

"Don't be. I'm perfect. I promise." She looks at him a minute, pulling him by his shirt. She kisses him passionately, holding him as close as possible. She backs into a wall, still kissing him. He kisses her hard, biting her lip. She moans softly, a shiver shooting up her spine. He forces himself to pull away, staring into her eyes. He runs his thumb across her lip again. 

"Promise you're coming back to me?"

"I promise." He kisses her again, the intensity still there. She whimpers against his kiss, her arms around his neck. 

"I love you."

"I love you more." She smiles at him, a nagging feeling in the back of her mind. 

"I'll see you soon?"

"As soon as possible." He kisses her softly before she goes back in the room. He walks down the hallway, texting Gary. 

_I'll be back soon. If I'm not done in a few hours, cover for me._

_You need to tell her._

_I can't. She'll tell me no._

_But she needs to know._

_Not yet, not until I have no choice._

_Just...be careful. Come back._

_I'm gonna try to come back as soon as possible._

_Okay._

*******

The doctor walks in, smiling at him.

"Are you ready?"

"Aye, as I'll ever be."

"Then let's get you ready."

"One more thing...they don't know about this." Dr. James frowns. 

"You didn't tell them?"

"No. Not yet. I don't want to yet. No matter what, finish this."

"What about your fiancé? Shouldn't she know?"

"She wouldn't let me do this. This is the best chance we have right now, right?"

"Well-"

"Then I'm doing this no matter what. But do not tell her or her family. I told her cousin, Gary. He's the only one that knows. If you catch him without them, tell him anything you need to. But don't let them find out until it's done." He sighs.

"Okay. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Without a doubt."

"Okay. Nurse Rose will get you ready. I'll see you in a bit." After the nurse leaves he closes his eyes. **_Mum...let me come out of this. Let me come back to her. Please. She needs me and I need her. I'm not ready for this to end. Please let me come out of this._**

*******

"Damn it, he's losing blood. Where's the bleeder, anyone see it?"

"No, Doctor. We can't find it."

"We have to. Search everywhere. Surgical towels, now." They quickly work, trying to find where the bleeding is coming from. The nurse stares at the screen. 

"His BP is dropping fast, his heart rate is rising, his pulse is dropping quickly."

"Damn it! Don't do this to me." He looks at him on the table. "Don't go out like this." The fellow doctor in the room looks at him confused. "His fiancé is here with her dying mother. This is for her mom. He promised her he'd come back to her and I told him I would bring him back."

"You know not to make promises like that."

"I know. But I did and I'm keeping it. Did you find the bleeder yet?"

"Not yet." 

"Damn it, Bobby. Don't stop fighting yet. Don't give up on me. More towels! Hang two units of O neg, now!" 

"He's tachycardia!"

"Paddles!" He quickly grabs them. "Charge to 200. Clear!" He hits him with the paddles, waiting a minute. 

"Still tachycardia."

"Charge 250. Clear!" He hits him again. "Damn it, Bobby. Come on. Charge 300. Clear!"

"It's normalizing."

"Towels! Find that bleeder now!" He works quickly, searching every nerve, every artery. "Come on. Don't do this to her." After a few more minutes he looks up. "Two more units of blood, more towels."

"He's in tachycardia again."

"Damn it, paddles! Charge 300. Clear!"

*********

Gary paces back and forth, Jace's knee bounces.

"How long does this take?" Gary shakes his head.

"I don't know."

"It's been what, three hours?" Gary doesn't answer, he just paces. Finally the doctor comes in.

"She's resting right now in the PACU. If everything stays good, she'll be transferred out of there. Dr. James will be in as soon as he finishes his surgery." Jace lets out a sigh of relief, picking up her phone. 

"Bobby needs to answer his phone. Have you talked to him?"

"I did earlier. He said his phone needed to charge before he could use the GPS to get here." She frowns.

"It's still going to voicemail. I need to call Chelsea and Lottie anyway. Can you see if you can get a hold of him?"

"Sure." He walks out into the hallway, going up to the nurses station. "Is Robert McKenzie still in surgery?" The nurse looks through some stuff on her computer.

"It looks like it. Are you family?"

"I'm his cousin. Is it going okay?"

"I'll see what I can find out, I'll find you."

"I'll wait."

"Okay." He paces in front of the nurses station, chewing on his nails anxiously. After a few difficult minutes the nurse beckons him over. "They're sending someone out to talk to you."

"Is that bad?"

"No, it's normal proccedure for them to send someone from the surgery to update the family."

"Okay." He paces a bit longer, seeing a doctor covered in blood walking towards him. "Oh shit." 

"Are you the cousin?"

"Yeah, how is he? Is he okay?"

"He's bleeding quite a bit right now, we're working as hard as we can to stop it."

"Is he gonna make it?"

"It's hard to say right now. It depends what's bleeding and what damage it's done to him. I'll be back as soon as we start to close him to update you."

"Okay thank you." She walks away. He runs his hands through his hair. "Goddamn it, Bobby! Don't do this shit to her. To me. To us. Please make it out of there. Please." 

"Make it out of where?" He turns to see Jace standing in the hallway. 

"What?"

"Where does he need to make it out of?"

"Uh, the hotel. He gets lost easily in America, you know that." She frowns, crossing her arms.

"Gary...where is Bobby? Did he leave again?"

"No, he's still here."

"Where is he then? Why won't he answer the phone?"

"I don't have an answer to that." She walks up to him.

"Gary Rennell, tell me the truth. Where. Is. Bobby?" He looks at her for a long time.

"I'm not supposed to tell you."

"Why?"

"He told me not to tell you."

"But you know where he is?"

"Yes."

"Is he okay?" He stares at her a long time.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?? Gary, where is he???" He saw the panic in her eyes.

"Jace, calm down. Breathe. Go wait for your mum."

"No! I can't see her right now anyway. Tell me now. Where is Bobby?" He sighs, rubbing his neck.

"He's in surgery."

"WHAT?! What happened? Did he get in an accident? Why wasn't I notified? Is he hurt? Is he okay? What kind of surgery? Wh-"

"Jace!" He takes her arms, getting her attention. "Breathe. I'll tell you what I know if you breathe. Calm down first." She forces some deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves. She looks at him, tears in her eyes.

"Gary..." Her voice broke. He sighs.

"He's the kidney your mum got." She covers her face, tears falling. "He didn't want you to know because he knew you'd tell him no. He's still in surgery."

"Wait, if he's still in surgery when Mom is out...does that mean somethings wrong?" Gary looks down at his feet. "Gary, what's wrong? Is there a problem? Is he okay?"

"He's bleeding from somewhere and they don't know where. They're trying to find it and stop it. They said they can't determine if he's okay or not until they find out what was bleeding." She shakes her head, the tears pouring down her face. Gary pulls her into a hug, rubbing her back. "Hey, I know. It's scary and difficult and hard. He did this because he loves you."

"Did what?" They turn to see her dad standing there. He thinks a minute, raising his eyebrows. "Ooh... he left you again didn't he?" He sighs. "I tried to tell you, Jace. I'm so sorry, love." Before Gary can stop her she walks up and slaps him. Everyone freezes, watching the three of them.

"No! He didn't leave me! He's in surgery right now, bleeding out."

"What?" She pushes him hard.

"He's the kidney Mom got. He gave her his kidney and now he might die because of it. So shut up! Don't you dare say another bad thing about him. I might lose my fiancé now. The man I love might die and I didn't even get to say goodbye!" Her dad stares at her stunned. 

"Jace-"

"No! You don't get to say anything now! All you've done since you we got back together was treat him like shit. I hate you." She pushes him again, Gary runs over and pulls her back. "No!" She stares at him angrily, tears pouring down her face. "You accused him of wanting me just for your stupid money, you almost refused to let him come with me to visit Mom, and I know you said something to him. Our first night here, he acted like he was scared of losing me. If I lose him, I swear to God. He's the most amazing man I've ever met. He's so selfless in every way. All he wanted was for you to accept him! He didn't want our relationship to be effected by him. He's tried so hard to show you he's a good man. But you were too selfish to see it! To stubborn!" Gary starts pulling her away.

"Jacey, come on."

"No!"

"Jace, come on."

"No! I'm not done yet!"

"Jacinda! Yelling at your father isn't going to save Bobby, so stop it. Let's go." She finally lets him lead her away. Her dad looks around at the people in the hallway staring at them. He goes back inside the room.


	32. December 22, 2020 - continued

She paces back and forth in the hallway.

"He's stupid, why would he do something like this?? He knows the risk!"

"He did know, he still said he had to do it."

"But why?"

"Are you asking for an answer or just cause you're pissed?"

"Did he tell you why?"

"Yes."

"Why did he do it?"

"Because he loves you."

"What?"

"He said your mum fought so hard for her second chance. She fought to fix your relationship, to fix herself for you. And you were gonna lose her when you had her back for what, 10 years? He said it wasn't enough time."

"What?"

"He did this for you. And your mum. He said she deserved more time with you and you with her. He wanted you to still have her."

"So he risked his life for it?"

"He told you he'd be willing to do anything for you. This is one of those things." She shakes her head, more tears falling.

"Ugh, that man. Why does he have to be so sweet and-and selfless? So caring and giving?" Gary chuckles.

"Are you actually complaining about this right now?"

"Yes! Because now I might lose him because of it." She groans. "God this man." She sighs, pacing again. She chews on her nails, anxiously looking at the door. Finally they see Dr. James come out. He's covered in blood, making her go pale. "Oh my God." She covers her mouth. Gary puts an arm around her, waiting beside her. He approaches them, looking at Gary.

"May I-"

"I know." He looks at her, then Gary and back at her.

"Okay. Uh, he lost a lot of blood, we had to shock is heart a few times." She leans into Gary's shoulder, fresh tears falling. "It took a while to find what was bleeding. We managed to get it stopped. We'll be watching him for a bit and run some test to see if any further damage was done." She sobs softly into Gary's chest. Dr. James looks at her, sorrow in his eyes. "Would you like to wait with him?" She looks up at him.

"Can I?" 

"Sure. Follow me." She turns to Gary, he takes her hand.

"It's okay. I'll let you know how your mum is doing." She smiles at him, kissing his cheek.

"Thank you." 

********

She sits beside his bed, holding onto his hand. She stares at him, lying unconscious in bed. She shakes her head, more tears falling. 

"Wake up, please wake up. Be okay. Please be okay. You can't leave me yet, don't leave me. Don't leave. I need you. I need you so much. I can't do this without you. Please, baby, please be okay." She kisses his hand, holding it to her cheek. "Please wake up." She falls asleep laying her head on his bed, holding his hand. 

"Jace. Jace wake up." She groans, her head hurting. She sits up, holding the side of her head. She opens her eyes, seeing him looking at her.

"Oh my God, Bobby!" She stands up, covering his face in kisses. "Oh my God, you're awake." He laughs, holding her arms to make her stop.

"Yes, I'm okay." She looks at him, more tears falling.

"I was scared I was gonna lose you."

"But you didn't."

"But I almost did. You bled...a lot. They had to use like 5 units of blood and shock your heart multiple times. I almost did lose you." She leans her head against his, sniffling. "I'm not ready to lose you yet. Don't do that to me. I need you." He wipes her face.

"Hey, I'm here. Okay? I made it, I'm fine. I'm here with you. I promised you I would come back and I did. I'm okay. See?" He puts her hand on his heart. She feels the thumping against her palm, making her smile. "See? I'm here." She sighs, looking at him.

"God I was so scared." 

"Come here." He pulls her close, resting her head on his chest. She closed her eyes, listening to the soft _thump, thump, thump_ of his heart beat. She finally lets out a sigh of relief. 

"Don't ever do that to me again."

"Never again." 

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart, hope-"

"Don't finish that sentence!" He laughs. 

"Bad timing?" She smiles to herself.

"Very bad timing."

"Hey. How's your mum?"

"She's good. She was asking about you when she woke up. She wanted to see you. My dad told her you were still asleep."

"When did you find out?" 

"I heard Gary talking to himself, well you but to himself, telling you to make it back to me. I made him tell me."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"After thinking about my reaction....it's probably better you didn't."

"What do you mean?"

"I was scared for Mama, but my family has been preparing for any outcome with her. With you....I wasn't ready to lose you. I kinda went a little crazy..."

"I'm sorry, lass. I just...her time wasn't up yet." She looks up at him.

"So you didn't do this because my dad said something stupid?"

"What do you mean?"

"The first night here you were acting like you were scared you were gonna lose me or something. Did he tell you anything? Did he say something to make you think I would leave you?"

"It doesn't matter what he said, I didn't do it becauseof him."

"But he did say something?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm okay and your mum is gonna be okay." She sighs, putting her hand on his cheek.

"I swear, you are the most amazing, sweet, selfless, caring, generous, kind hearted man I've ever met. I hope one day our kids turn out like you. I hope they end up just like you, you're as perfect as they come." He smiles, kissing her forehead.

"With your looks and my personality, they might turn out alright." She laughs, cuddling into him again. 

********

Two days later:

She lay wrapped in his arms, both of them sound asleep. Her dad looks over at them, wearing matching pajamas. He looks back over at Sandy asleep next to him. Gary looks up from his magazine, seeing him looking between the three of them. He clears his throat softly.

"So...how are you?" He looks over at him, sitting back down.

"Well, I've been better."

"You want to talk about it?"

"No....yes...I don't know." Gary smiles. 

"I'm all ears, Uncle Joe." Joe looks at him a minute, sighing.

"Why would he do this?"

"Why do you think he would?" He shrugs.

"To prove to me he's selfless." Gary chuckles.

"That's not Bobby, there's one person he's tried to prove himself to. That's Jace. And it wasn't to prove he wasn't weak or that he was strong. It was to prove to her he loved her, he did that when he let her decide to move to England on her own."

"He really had no part in that?"

"He mentioned once, maybe twice, she should think about it. She cut that off real quick." 

"How does that prove he loved her?"

"Last time he came back home, it was when he left in June. And he did that because he was scared that the longer they were together, the harder it would be for him to leave. He thought he was helping her. She was pissed he made that choice without asking her. She doesn't like things being decided for her."

"Which explains why she pushed back so hard against me."

"Well, duh. You told her she couldn't get married to him. Bad idea. She'll do exactly what she wants to do."

"That's what worries me. What if his intentions-"

"I know him better than anyone here...except Jace. But I know him better than anyone else. He's not a threat to you. He's actually someone you're gonna want in your corner." 

"Does he treat her good?"

"Like a queen."

"Does he take care of her?"

"Constantly. He dotes on her like she's a princess."

"Are they good together?"

"Never seen a more perfect match. There's a lot of laughter in our flat. Never a dull moment with those two." He sighs.

"Guess I don't have a choice then."

"I mean you do....with some risks."

"Like losing my daughter. That's kinda up either way though."

"You wouldn't lose her to him. He would just be added to the mix, part of the family. The only one fucking up your relationship with her is you."

"Way to be blunt."

"Runs in the family."

"Apparently." He shakes his head. "I need a bit of time before they wake up. If my wife asks, I went to get food."

"You got it."

********

Christmas Day:

She opens her eyes slowly, looking at his still sleeping face. She leans up, kissing his neck slowly. He groans, puuling her closer. His sleepy amber eyes look into her bright hazel eyes. 

"Merry Christmas, love."

"Merry Christmas, lass." He kisses her sweetly. "I love you."

"I love you too." Gary hugs them both.

"Aww, I love you too!" They laugh, hugging him back. Jace rolls her eyes.

"We love you too, Gaz."

"You better." They sit up, looking over at her mom. She smiles at them.

"Morning, dears. Merry Christmas!" Jace gets up, giving her a hug.

"Merry Christmas, Mama." Jace helps Bobby sit up on the side of the bed.

"You're gonna have to give me a minute, but Merry Christmas, Mrs- I mean Mum." He blushes, making Jace giggle. She kisses his cheek.

"You're cute." She looks around, frowning. "Where's Dad?" Sandy shrugs.

"I don't know. He was here when I went to bed last night. He tell you anything, Gary?"

"No, I just woke up." A minute later her dad walks in, with visitors behind him. They all were carrying presents. Lottie, Kassam, Arjun, Chelsea, Katrina, Miles and Bobby's grandmother all smiled at them. Bobby stared at his grandma and Miles, his mouth hanging open. Jace runs up to her friends, hugging them all.

"What are you doing here!?" She smiles at Miles, throwing her arms around him. "Especially you!!!" Chelsea shrugs.

"Your dad called us. He flew them down here too." She turns to look at her dad.

"What?" Miles walks over to Bobby, his grandma on his arm. 

"Bobs! Are you gonna stare at us like an idiot or are you going to say hi?" Bobby shakes his head, smiling at them.

"How-what-why-what??" His grandma laughs, hugging him.

"Mr. Matthews flew us down here to see you. He said you had surgery. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything is fine." Jace's mom smiled at them.

"You raised an amazing grandson. He had surgery because he donated his kidney to me." His grandma looks back at him proudly.

"Is that true?"

"Er, yeah...she needed one and I could spare one." His grandma hugs him.

"Oh, you are so sweet." He blushes, clearing his throat.

"It was nothing...she deserved a second chance. Plus, I couldn't let my lass lose her mum. Speaking of which." He holds his hand out for Jace. She walks over, taking it. "Granny, this is Jace, my fiancé." He looks up at her lovingly. "Lass, this is Granny." Jace holds out her hand.

"We've talked on the phone quite a bit but it's lovely to finally meet you." She pulls her in for a hug.

"Oh, we're family now, we hug. It's so nice to finally meet you! You're even prettier than your pictures." Jace smiles, hugging her back.

"Thank you." Bobby and Jace look around, both of them beaming. Jace looks back at her dad. "Dad...you really arranged all this?? But...why?" He shrugs.

"I guess you could say you slapped some sense into me...literally." She blushes. Bobby frowns.

"You slapped your dad???" Joe chuckles.

"It's okay...I deserved it. I let my emotions get the best of me. I was just trying to be protective of you and I didn't handle it well. I'm sorry for making everything so difficult for you." She smiles at him. "And..." He looks at Bobby. "I really owe you an apology. I didn't know anything about you and that worried me. I made all kinds of assumptions and misjudged you. You're a wonderful man, which shouldn't be surprising. She wouldn't choose to marry you if you weren't a good man. I'm sorry for everything I said or did." Bobby smiles at him.

"I get it, you just love her. You want to make sure she's taken care of. I love her too, sir. I'd do anything for her." He motions to her mom. 

"I can see that. I appreciate what you did." He shrugs.

"You both fought really hard to get where you are. You fought for your second chance and I didn't want it to end yet." Jace's watches them with tears in her eyes. Chelsea starts sobbing. Miles smiles and walks over to her.

"Aww, babe. What's wrong?" She waves at Bobby and Joe.

"That is just such a beautiful moment. It's so sweet to see them making up for her. She finally has her whole family." Miles hugs her, rubbing her back.

"Aww, come here." Jace runs up to her dad, hugging him. 

"Thank you." He hugs her back tightly.

"No, thank you. For standing up for yourself, even against me. For standing up for what you believe in."

"I learned that from you and Mama."

"I guess we did pretty damn good then."


	33. December 25, 2020

The nurses brought in extra chairs for everyone, offering hot chocolate and hot apple cider to everyone. Jace sat beside Bobby on his bed, Joe and Sandy sat on her bed together, Chelsea sat on the couch beside Miles, Gary sat with Katrina in chairs next to them, Kassam and Lottie sat beside each other in between Sandy's and Bobby's beds, Granny and Arjun sat in chairs beside them. They all exchanged presents, even the ones they brought from England. Chelsea got Jace and Bobby a set of pictures with cooking themed sayings. One had a picture of an electric mixer that said 'Mixed with Love', a pair of whisk that said 'Take a Whisk', a set of rolling pins that said 'Let's get Rolling', and a stand up beater that said 'Just Beat it.' Lottie and Kassam got them matching aprons that said 'Head Chef' with a bow tie printed on it and 'Sous Chef' with a pearl necklace printed on it. Arjun got them a certificate to a couples painting class. Miles gave them pictures of the bedroom furniture set he built.

"I couldn't bring that of course. But it's coming to your place when you get home." Granny gave Jace and Bobby matching necklaces with luckenbooth symbols on it. 

"It's a traditional symbol in Scotland, usually given as a love token or a betrothal gift. It's two hearts intertwined." Bobby looks at the necklace a minute.

"Granny, these look like the ones you and Grandad had."

"Because they are." Jace looks at the intricate details.

"It's gorgeous, I love it. Thank you, Granny." She gives her hug, making the old woman beam at them. Bobby smiles at her, his heart almost exploding with affection. Gary shrugs.

"You two already got my present at home. Still love you though." Bobby smiles at him.

"We love you too, Gary." Joe and Sandy gave Jace a jewelry set for her wedding day, and Bobby a pocket watch. Joe clears his throat.

"That, uh, that was given to me by my father who got it from his father. It's a tradition to pass it down from father to son. And considering you're part of the family now..." He motions at the watch. Bobby stares at it in his hand a minute, looking back at him.

"Are...are you sure? It seems so special, I don't-"

"I'm sure, Bobby. It is special, which is why I want you to have it." Bobby smiles at him, fighting back tears threatening to fall. He clears his throat.

"Thank you, sir." He nods at him, giving him a small smile. Everyone finishes opening presents while Bobby continues to stare at the watch in his hand. Jace rubs Bobby's back.

"Are you okay?"

"Aye...I've never...gotten something like this. I don't have something sentimental from my father. I haven't had a dad most of my life." She kisses his cheek.

"Well, you have one now." He sniffles, clearing his throat.

"It's....different. I haven't had a whole family in a long time."

"Now you're our family. So get ready for a lot of cheesy family traditions, my parents really love that stuff." He smiles at her.

"I look forward to it...thank you."

"For what?"

"For giving me everything I could possibly ever want. I get to marry you, the most amazing woman I've ever met. I'm part of a family now, a whole family. I never thought I'd have that again. So thank you." She kisses him softly.

"Thank you for coming to America to work at a summer camp for troubled kids." He chuckles.

"That one is still on Gary." She smiles, looking over at Gary.

"Hey, Gaz." Gary looks over.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for talking him into coming to America." Gary smiles at Bobby, looking back at Jace.

"You're welcome. You can tell your future kids to thank me for their existence." He puts his hands behind his head, leaning back. Everyone laughs, Jace and Bobby rolling their eyes.

********

Chelsea sits next to Jace on Bobby's bed, Jace rubs her baby bump.

"I can't believe she's growing so fast already. Do you have a name?" Chelsea looks at Miles, talking to Bobby on the other side of the room. 

"We do have a couple ideas, but we're keeping them secret for now. We'll announce when she's born."

"Tease. I'm really happy for you, Chels. Is it as amazing as they make it sound?"

"It's hard, for sure. I have all kinds of cravings, my morning sickness hasn't gone away, she loves to jump on my bladder....but it is very magical. I get to feel her little kicks, she gets the hiccups a lot. She likes Taylor Swift too. And Daddy's voice. I'll put the phone next to her when we talk on the phone and she starts going crazy." She rubs her bump sadly. 

"What's wrong?"

"It's hard having him so far away. He only gets to be a part of this through the phone. He felt her kick for the first time when he landed. What if he's not here when she's born?"

"Have you talked about one of you moving closer to the other?"

"Not really. It's hard to figure out. Soon I won't be able to fly, he has a business over there to run. I would be leaving here and leaving everything I know behind...going where I don't have anything but him." 

"I'm sorry, hun. I know it's hard." She hugs her, rubbing her back. "Okay, how about you both move to England?"

"What?"

"In England you have me, Gary and Bobby. Miles has us too. So you won't only have him. And my nan will definitely adopt you and her too. And Miles. Maybe he could open up a second location in England, his business in Glasgow is doing really well." Chelsea smiles at her.

"You have a good point...maybe I'll ask him later."

"You should, you're running out of time, love." She smiles, rubbing her bump again. 

"Wanna feel her kick?"

"Yes!"

********

Bobby and Miles look over at Chelsea and Jace, both of them smiling. Miles chuckles. Bobby looks at him curiously.

"What?" He shakes his head.

"This is what I imagined when we were growing up, Bobby. We found two amazing women, who happen to be best mates too." Bobby looks back over at them, watching Jace place a hand on the bump. A second later she gasps, beaming at Chelsea.

"I felt it!" She puts another hand, waiting for another kick. He chuckles, watching them together.

"I honestly didn't think I'd find her. I knew you would but...I didn't think I would."

"Well you did. A damn good one too."

"We really are lucky we found them. Look at them, Jace is loving this whole pregnancy thing. She gets upset all the time that she isn't there for it." Miles sighs.

"Me too. It's hard. Lottie, Kassam, Katrina and Arjun have been a big help though...I just wish I could see it more."

"Have you talked about you two moving to the other?"

"Aye. It's hard. She'd be giving everything up and going where she has nothing. And I have a business, I can't move to America." Bobby thinks a minute.

"So, move to England."

"What?"

"In England you two have me, Jace, Gary and Nan. You could open up a business there, and be there to get that one up and running. You'd have your business, she'd have Jace, you'd have me...." Miles smiles.

"You might be on to something." Chelsea and Jace look up and see them watching them. 

"Well, I say it's time we go talk to our girls. Plus, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have to talk Jace out of wanting a bairn right now. The face she's giving me right now is a little unsettling." Miles laughs, ruffling his hair.

"And there's the Bobby I know and love." Bobby sits behind Jace, wrapping his arms around her. 

"Hey, gorgeous. Doing anything later?"

"I'm supposed to see my fiancé, but I can make something up and run off with you instead." He whispers in her ear.

"And what do you want to do with me?"

"I have a lot of things I wanna try..."

"Like what?"

"Maybe we could talk about...babies?" He smiles, laying his head on her shoulder.

"Miles, I told you she was gonna ask." Miles laughs again, shrugging.

"Our kids would be really close in age." Chelsea squeals and claps.

"That would be so cute! Our little girl and your...whatever it is, playing together! Oh, I can see it now. You'll have to let me decorate your nursery." Bobby clears his throat.

"Uh, lass...I'm down for kids...but not right now. I don't think I'm ready." She pouts.

"But you're gonna be an amazing dad. Kids adore you, I adore you. And we're gonna make gorgeous babies. If they get your skin tone and eyes, ugh." He smiles at her, taking her hand.

"Let's just put a pin in this until things settle down and then we'll come back and talk about it. Okay?" She pouts again.

"Okay." He kisses her cheek, making her smile. Miles puts his hand on the baby bump.

"And how are my girls doing?"

"Good, Peanut has the hiccups again. And I'm not craving nutter butters with...." She thinks hard a moment. "Ooh! Cotton candy ice cream." Miles raises his eyebrows.

"That's a new one."

"Plus I'm getting tired."

"Okay, why don't we head out then?"

"I wanna say no...but I'm picturing my bed and it's making me want to say yes." He chuckles, kissing her head.

"Then lets go. I'm gonna see if Granny is ready to go back to the hotel." Chelsea looks at him worriedly.

"Are you sure she's gonna be okay at the hotel? She's all alone."

"She lives alone, you know."

"I'd feel better if she came to stay with us. I hate the idea of her being all alone."

"Okay, I'll ask her to come stay with us then." He walks off, leaving Chelsea with them. She jumps.

"Oh, that was a big one. Wanna feel Bobby?"

"Dinnae ken...does it feel weird?"

"It feels like a tiny human is using my bladder as a trampoline to kick my stomach." Bobby laughs.

"Okay...I'll give it a shot." She waits a minute, taking his hand and placing it on a spot on her bump. After a minute something hits his hand, making him pull away quickly. "Woah...that's weird." Jace smiles at him.

"It's cool is what it is." Chelsea winces.

"Ooh, she's pushing against me now. Feel here." She takes Bobby's hand, putting it on another spot.

"It's hard. What do you think it is?"

"I don't know...but she's definitely pushing against me."

"I wanna feel." Bobby takes her hand, putting it where his was. He kept his hand on hers, waiting for her reaction. "Ooh, that feels like it would hurt." Bobby smiles at her.

"Right?" Miles walks back over with Granny next to him.

"Ready to go, babe? Granny is coming back with us."

"Yay!" She turns and hugs Jace. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Absolutely. I love you, Chels."

"I love you too, Jace." She hugs Bobby. "I love you too, Bobby." He smiles.

"I love you too, Chelsea." They finish their goodbye's with everyone else, Gary went back with Katrina. Only Bobby, Jace, Sandy and Joe were left. Joe clears his throat.

"There's, uh, there's one more thing I wanted to talk to you about..." Jace frowns slightly.

"Okay."

"Um, I was thinking about the camp..."

"Tell me you're not saying you're gonna give it back to me now. I can't, I'm in England and I can't exactly keep moving back and forth. And Chelsea and Miles are thinking of moving to England too so they can be together, I told her I'd be there so she wasn't alone." Sandy holds up her hand gently.

"Let him finish, Jacinda."

"Sorry. Go on." Joe sighs.

"I figured it wouldn't be possible for you to come home for the camp, and we did find a good replacement to take care of it and run it. At least until your mum is ready to take over again. But...we were thinking...about opening one in England." Jace stares at him in shock.

"Wait what?"

"We figured that you were so good at it, and I know there's people in England going through the same stuff. I'm sure there's kids there that could use you. So...we would fund it but you would be completely in charge. In charge of the staff, the design, the set up, the rules, the campers, everything. It would be all up to you." She covers her mouth.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. If you're interested."

"I would love that! Are you for real? You really want to do that?"

"Yup." She squeals, jumping up to hug her parents. 

"Y'all! Really?? Oh my God, babe!" He laughs.

"I heard, congratulations, lass."

"Y'all are the best!" After a minute Sandy sighs.

"Right, well it's for me to get some exercise. Care to go for a walk, dear?"

"Absolutely, love. We'll see you two in a bit." Jace crawls onto Bobby's bed, smiling at him.

"I'm getting a camp!" He smiles at her.

"I know, it makes sense though. You're perfect for the job."

"Thank you. I hope you'll help me run it though."

"Dinnae ken, lass. Running a camp isn't exactly something I've tried."

"Well, while you learn some of the stuff you can be in charge of the kitchen. The staff, the menu, the desserts, the snacks. Everything." He smiles.

"Now that's more my style." She looks into his eyes, her heart beating faster. "What?"

"Are you ready for my present to you?"

"You got me a present? I thought we already did that back home." She smiles, crawling forward. She kisses him, gently urging him to lean back. She straddles him, putting his hands on her body. He moans softly.

"We can't do what I really want to do...but I did get permission to do...other things." He bites his lip.

"Yeah? Like what?" 

"Hold that thought." She pulls the curtain closed, getting on him again. "Where were we?"

"You were gonna tell me what you had in mind."

"Oh, no. I was going to show you." She gently grinds against him, making his grip on her hips tighten. She reaches into his pajama bottoms, taking him in her hand. She moves one of his hands under her shirt to her breast. He moves her bra up, teasing her nipple. She moans softly. 

"What about you?"

"What about me?" He reaches between her legs, rubbing her outside her leggings. She puts one hand on the bed, next to his head, to steady herself. He reaches inside her leggings and her panties. He rubs her clit softly as she begins to stroke him. "Maybe I should change into something that makes this more exciting." 

"How can this get more exciting without me fucking you?" She smiles, getting up. She slides her leggings off, getting on him again and wrapping the blanket so it covers her waist. She grinds against him slowly.

"Want to watch me touch myself?"

"Oh fuck. Where's this lass been?"

"I've got to keep a few secrets to spice it up once in a while." She looks into his eyes, reaching into her panties. She moans softly, biting her lip. She pulls her shirt off, leaving her bra on. He takes her right breast out, teasing her nipple with his tongue. She moans softly, rubbing herself faster. She kisses him passionately, biting his lip. He moves her hand, replacing it with his. He fingers her, rubbing her clit with his palm each time he moved his hand. She moans softly.

"Fuck, Bobby." She strokes him, moving faster. 

"You like the way I finger you?"

"Yes." He moves his hand faster, making her moan louder. "Oh fuck."

"You want me to make you come?"

"Yes."

"Say please."

"Please, please let me come." He smiles, fingering her harder. She bites her lip, lifting her hips. "Just like that." She strokes him faster, making him moan.

"Fuck, Jace."

"I'm so close."

"Me too." She whimpers against his lips. "Fucking come for me, Jace. I want to feel you come on my hand." She uses her freehand to push his hand against her. She grinds against it.

"I'm coming." She moans loudly, biting his lip hard.

"Fuck, lass." He comes, some of it landing on her stomach and her hand. She grinds into his hand one last time, her juices all over his fingers. She looks down at her stomach, smiling. She licks some of his come off her hand. 

"That's a lot of come. I wonder if I can make you come again right now." She wipes her hand on her shirt at the foot of the bed. She scoots down, licking the tip of his still hard cock. He groans. 

"You're killing me, lass."

"Let me help then." She sticks him all the way in her mouth, he grabs a handful of her hair and moans. 

"Fuck, Jace." She wastes no time in taking him to the back of her throat. She sucks harder, moving him in her mouth faster. She moans softly, sending goosebumps across his skin. "Oh fuck." She looks up at him, meeting his eyes. She moans a little louder, making the pressure build up quickly. "Keep doing that and you're gonna make me come." He pins her hair back with both hands, his grip tightening. He looks at her ass sticking up in the air, biting his lip. "Shit, I'm gonna come." She moans louder, looking into his eyes, pushing him over the edge. "Fuck, Jace." She takes him all the way back to her throat, swallowing everything. She sits up, licking her lips. "You're so fucking hot." She winks at him.

"Hot for you." He groans rubbing his face.

"You are turning into a sex crazed monster right now. I love it and I hate it. You better be like this when I can fuck you again." She kisses his neck, nibbling his ear. 

"I promise, I'm gonna fuck the shit out of you as soon as you get cleared." She pulls back, smiling at him.

"If we weren't already engaged I'd ask you to marry me." She giggles, holding up her hand.

"I'm not sure my fiancé would appreciate you asking me to marry you." He bites his lip, pulling her too him.

"You're playing a very dangerous game right now." He kisses her hard, making her moan. She pulls away, breathless.

"We need to stop before we end up actually having sex." He smiles.

"Do I make you wet thinking about that?" She blushes.

"I'm always wet when I think about fucking you." He rubs the outside of her panties.

"Maybe it's your turn for a round two." She moans softly as he moves his hand inside her panties again. He pulls her up by the middle of her bra as he fingers her. He sucks on the top of her breast, making her moan loudly.

"Fuck, yes." He bites her hard, fingering her faster. "Fuck, Bobby!" He marks her other breast, making her whimper. He rubs his palm into her clit harder, making her moan loudly. "Oh, I'm gonna come." He bites her breast again, harder. She moans loudly, pushing his hand into her as far as she could as she comes. "Fuck!" It takes her a minute to catch her breath. She fixes his pants before getting up. She kisses him softly. "We're doing a better version of that when we get home." He smiles.

"I'm okay with that." She winks at him, turning to their bag to get more clothes.


	34. December 28, 2020

Jace sat on the counter of her old house, watching Bobby cook breakfast. She sees the scar on his back from the surgery. She smiles poking him with her foot.

"Hey, I'm cooking." He turns and smiles at her. She shrugs.

"But I love you."

"I love you too."

"Then kiss me." He looked at her sitting there in her silky periwinkle robe, her white lace bra and panties contrasting the color. He moves the pan, walking over to her. She wraps her arms around his neck, kissing him. The doorbell makes them pull apart. "That's probably Chelsea and Miles."

"I'll get it while you get dressed."

"Chelsea's seen me naked."

"Okay, one...you're telling me that story later." She rolls her eyes. "And two, Miles may be in love with her but he's still just a man. So seeing you like that...he's gonna stare. I'm not comfortable having my best mate thinking about what my fiancé would look like completely naked." She raises her eyebrows.

"Jealous are we?"

"I'm not even gonna lie, yes. You're mine, I don't share." She smiles at him.

"Okay, I'll get some clothes on." He smacks her ass when she walks by, making her yelp. She runs off giggling. He answers the door, seeing Chelsea there with Miles and Granny. 

"Here for the key I assume?" She smiles and nods.

"Yup."

"Come in, I was just making breakfast." Granny looks around.

"Where is my newest granddaughter?" He smiles, nodding to the stairs.

"Getting dressed, she'll be down in a minute." He serves everyone a cup of tea and a plate of eggs. Jace turns the corner fully dressed. Bobby did a double take as he stared. She wore short shorts with a white t-shirt tied in a knot above her belly button. "God, I love Texas." She turns around, smiling when she sees him staring. "But that's not much better than what you had on, lass."

"Hey, I'm dressed. It's hot, I'm not wearing a turtle neck and baggy pants." She kisses his cheek, grabbing her cup of coffee. Miles shakes his head.

"Come on, mate. Just cause you're getting married doesn't mean she has to dress like an old lady. No offense, Granny." Granny rolls her eyes, sipping her tea. Jace motions at Miles.

"Thank you."

"Hey, I'm not asking you to dress like Granny. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound controlling. You dress however you want, babe. As long as you don't entertain anyone that stares." She smiles, kissing him.

"Deal." She turns to Chelsea. "So you're leaving today, right?"

"Yup. I got the all clear from my doctor. But I have to leave today or I can't leave until after the baby is born. Next week I go into my third trimester."

"Well, you can stay at our place as long as you need. Gary is gonna stay with Nan so you can take his room. We'll be heading home in a couple days so take the time to get settled...and have some alone time. And Hazel's food is in the bottom cabinet next to the pantry. Nan is gonna drop her off tomorrow."

"Thanks, hun. I really appreciate y'all letting me move in last minute." Bobby smiles at her.

"Anything to help, Chels. We want you to be able to be with Miles as much as you do." Miles and Chelsea look at each other and smile. He kisses her softly.

"We have pretty great mates."

"That we do." Granny clears her throat.

"Alright, time for Granny talk." 

"Oh not the Granny talk." Bobby whines.

"Shut up, Bobby. You lot need my wisdom." He sighs.

"Yes, ma'am." She smiles at him before looking around at the others.

"Now, you two are having a child together. It's wonderful and magical and easily the best thing you'll ever do. But remember, you both made this kid so you're both responsible. Miles, do not turn out like Bobby's good for nothing father. You get your ass up at 3 am when that bairn cries and take care of it. Don't make Chelsea do everything. Be understanding when she's tired, not berating. Encourage, don't manipulate. You are equal partners in this, treat each other like it. If you need to make a schedule for you two and stick to it." Miles nods.

"Yes, ma'am."

"And Chelsea, don't take advantage of his help. You be just as equal in this as him. A clean flat is nice, but a happy family is better. Don't worry about the little things like tiny stains on clothes, the sink with a few dishes in them, things like that. You can always do that later. Never let yourself put you behind just to care for her, ask someone to help you when you need it. If Miles can't be there have one of these two come help you. No matter what it is, ask for help. Ask them to help you clean or to help with dinner, even babysit so you can go take a shower. Don't think your needs are optional and lose yourself in being her mother. You're still Chelsea." She smiles at her.

"Yes, ma'am. I promise I'll try my best." Bobby leans towards Jace, whispering.

"Maybe she'll skip us this time." Granny looks at them. 

"Oh, I'm not forgetting you two." She turns to face them. "Now, you two want to get married. That's wonderful, you're great together and I see a lot of love between you two. But before you get married, I encourage you to go to couples counseling. It'll teach you how to communicate better and if you end up not being compatible then you'll find out before you're married. Make sure you have the same goals, the same wants, and that you can fulfil each other's needs. Never leave or go to bed without saying 'I love you', even if you're mad. Never hold a grudge, it'll poison your relationship. Set at least two dates a month and do it. Just because you're married doesn't mean you shouldn't date. And finally, never stop trying to win each other over. A lot of people get married and think that's it and they can stop doing all those sweet things they did when they were dating. Then they fall out of love with each other and either have affairs or get divorced. Be humble, admit when you're wrong and don't let that spark die out." Bobby smiles at her, Jace takes his hand. 

"Thanks, Granny." He kisses Jace's hand, making her smile.

"Anytime, dear. I don't want to see you two go down that path, I think you're perfect for each other." Jace hugs Bobby from behind, resting her head against his shoulder. He puts his hands on hers. "Now, tell me...are the kids in your future?" Bobby sighs.

"Yes, we want at least two. Maybe three."

"And how soon can I expect my great-grandchildren?" He raises his eyebrows.

"That's still undecided. We want to be married first and settled a bit." Jace peaks around him.

"He wants that, I want one now." Bobby blushes, looking down. He looks out the window.

"Hey, I think I just saw a blue bird fly by the window. I'm gonna go look at it." He quickly walks away to the front door, hearing laughter behind him. His grandma yells after him.

"Robert McKenzie!"

"I didn't catch that, sorry!" He walks outside, taking a deep breath. He sits down, his head in his hands. Someone sits next to him. "I don't wanna talk about it." Miles shrugs.

"Okay." For a minute they're quiet before Miles breaks the silence. "Hey, Bobby?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I can do this?" Bobby looks at him.

"Do what?"

"This whole settling down, becoming a dad thing. Like...do you think I'll be a good dad? A good husband?"

"Of course you will. You've always wanted kids."

"Yeah, but now I'm having one. One that wasn't exactly planned for just yet. I mean I'm excited, but I'm really nervous. I'm going to have this little girl who is going to depend on me for everything. Her life will be in my hands. I have to raise her to be a good person, a good woman. How to be strong and independent. How to make good choices, how to read, how to write. What to do when she gets her heart broken by some dumbass boy. How a man should treat her. And then after all that work, when she becomes and adult I have to let her go off on her own and hope I did a good enough job. That's a lot to put on someone. What if she ends up failing out of school, or getting pregnant before she's anywhere near ready to be a parent? What if I spoil her too much and she expects to be handed everything? Or not enough and she thinks I don't love her? How do you know you've done enough?" Bobby looks at him a minute.

"Mate, all you can do is try. There's no good answer to this, there's no step by step. But I know you're gonna be a great dad, this little girl is so lucky she'll have you as her dad. You're the best man I know. You're gonna be great." Miles smiles at him.

"Thanks, mate. I just...it's a lot to put on someone. You know?"

"Why do you think I'm out here?"

"Well, yeah. But...dinnae ken. Jace isn't pregnant right now. I have what, three months before I'm a dad. She's almost here and the closer it gets, the more scared I get. I'm about to be a dad."

"True...but you won't be alone. You'll have Chelsea, me, Nan, Jace, even Gary. You have your village behind you." He smiles at him.

"Thanks, mate." For a minute they're quiet.

"Do you think I'd be a good dad?"

"Oh, the best. I saw how you were with the kids at the camp. Especially that one, Robbie. They loved you, mate. And they respected you too."

"But I don't think I'm responsible enough yet, or what if I'm such a horrible parent Jace leaves? She's gonna be a phenomenal mum, no doubt. But what if I'm not a good enough dad? What if she thinks it was a mistake to chose me, that she should've chose that other bloke. What if I can't provide for my kids? I don't want them to go without because I couldn't get my shit together. I want kids and I want kids with her...but I don't think I'm ready. She is but I'm not. Do we have one anyway?"

"Have you told her any of this?"

"No, I don't want her to regret saying yes. If she knows I don't think I'm gonna be a good dad she might start thinking it too. Then I'll lose her again."

"You need to talk to her about this, Bobby. I can't answer those questions, those are up to her. Your granny just told you to communicate...you should probably give it a shot." Bobby looks out at the lake. He watches the sunlight shimmer across the top, making it sparkle like a thousand diamonds. 

"I don't want her to regret choosing me."

"I don't think she will. But since she said yes, you owe it to her to be honest with her. You said no more secrets, right?"

"I mean...yeah...but does this count as a secret?"

"Well, not exactly a secret. But you're hiding it from her, she deserves to know." He rubs his neck, looking down. 

"Bobby?" They look up and see Jace there. Miles pats Bobby's leg. 

"I need to go check on Chelsea, she wasn't feeling good when she got up this morning. I need to get her to do her leaving checklist before we leave." Bobby raises his eyebrows.

"Checklist?"

"Don't even ask, mate." He walks inside, leaving them alone. She sits next to him.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Pressuring you. I don't mean to, I just...I'm excited for our lives together. And everyday we wake up is a blessing and I want to take advantage of every moment with you. I'm excited to build a family with you...and I thought you did to. Is that something you still want?" He frowns looking up.

"Of course it is. It's not that I don't want to..."

"Then what is it? Are you scared about being a dad?'

"I mean, sort of. Like, it's partly that. What if I'm not a good enough dad and they get screwed up like me? Or what if I become like my dad? What if I mess it up? Or what if you see I'm a horrible father and regret choosing me? I...I don't want to lose you." She scoots closer, holding his face so he meets her eyes.

"You're not gonna be a horrible father and you're not gonna end up like your dad. I would never leave you, especially for something silly like that. Every new parent thinks they're gonna be horrible at it. I'm scared I won't be a good enough mom."

"You're gonna be an amazing mum. You see how those campers adore you?"

"Do you see how they adore you? This is something we figure out together. We'll help each other through it, side by side. Me and you forever, remember?" He looks into her eyes a minute.

"Do you think I can do this?"

"100%. I have no doubt in my mind that you are going to be an absolutely amazing dad. Your dad showed you what not to do. And if you need advice on being a dad, you can call mine. He'd love to help you, I'm sure he felt the same way. And we have our mates and Nan and Granny. We aren't alone in this. Just like Chelsea and Miles aren't alone."

"I...I'm scared, Jace. I'm scared I'm gonna fail our kid." 

"You won't. I know for a fact you can do this. I know you're gonna do amazing."

"But how do you know?"

"I've got a secret super power, remember?" He smiles.

"And it tells you I'm gonna be a good dad?"

"Pretty much." He takes her hands.

"Are...are you sure this is something you want soon? Do you think we're ready? Can we afford it? Can we manage it? What about Chelsea, Miles and their daughter? Are we gonna be able to handle that in our flat? It's kinda small. What about the camp your parents are gonna start? You're gonna be completely in charge of that, can you handle that on top of us being parents?"

"There's always going to be a million reasons not to. And I'm pretty sure Chelsea and Miles aren't gonna try and stay with us for more than a few months. And we can always get a bigger house. Maybe we can finally fix up that old house I have. Make that our home."

"You'd want that?"

"Yeah. Sure there's a lot of bad memories...but you're part of my new beginning. We can make it a happy place. We fix our wounds together, right?" He smiles at her. "And the camp is gonna take a while to get on the ground. First we have to go through all the legal stuff, then we have to find a spot, buy it, build everything. It's gonna take a long time. We may not be able to fly wherever we want, when we want, but we do live a comfortable life. I think we could afford it. And you know my parents and Nan are gonna get everything we need before I even hit six months." He chuckles.

"True." 

"If you aren't ready, that's okay. We can wait. We'll wait as long as we need to. I don't want you to do this before you're ready. But no matter when it happens, I know we can handle it. We make a great team, we can handle anything as long as we're together."

"How was I able to find the perfect woman?" She shrugs.

"You're an awfully sexy Scotsman." He chuckles.

"That's the secret then?"

"I think so. Miles found a good one and he's a Scotsman."

"And Gary?"

"He just got lucky." He smiles at her, looking into her deep hazel eyes. 

"Okay."

"Okay, what?"

"If you think we can do this...then let's do this."

"Do what? Have a baby?" He nods. "Are you ready? We don't have to until you're ready."

"I don't think I'll ever be ready if I'm honest. I think it's gonna be one of those things I just have to do, you know?" She smiles at him.

"So you want to have a baby?" He nods.

"Aye. Let's have a baby. But it still has to wait until I'm cleared for sex. Just bits now I'm afraid."

"Well yeah. It'll give me time to go the doctor and get my birth control out and make sure I'm good to go." He kisses her softly.

"I can't believe we just decided to have a baby." She beams at him.

"Neither can I...it's a little scary. But the good kind." She gazes into his amber eyes, her heart beating faster. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Hey, have you talked to Robbie today?"

"Aye, him and his grandparents are coming over tomorrow. His dad is out now."

"Yeah? When did he get out? We talked to him a couple weeks ago."

"He got out Christmas Eve. He's doing really good."

"I bet Robbie is happy."

"I think he's as happy as he can be right now. We get to see him, his family is back together, he's doing better in school, he's been sticking to the drums. He says those help a lot. Kassam goes over for a lesson every week." She smiles.

"He's why we have that camp. To help kids like him." Bobby kisses her.

"That just proves you're a literal angel."

"Dinnae ken bout that."

"You're cute when you're Scot." She winks.

"Maybe one day you'll barely be able to tell that I'm American."

"I hope not. I like your accent." She rolls her eyes.

"Let's go see the others before they leave." He sits there a minute, watching her walk away. She turns around and raises her eyebrows. "Are you staring at my ass?"

"Definitely. You have a really nice ass." She shakes her head, going inside. "Oi! I wasn't done yet!"


	35. February 3, 2021

The light shines in his eyes, making him wince. He peaks around, squinting. He looks down at her, asleep in her bright red nightgown with her leg over his waist as she slept. He smiles, leaning down to kiss her neck. She moans softly, opening her sleepy hazel eyes.

"Good morning." He gently bites her ear, grabbing her ass.

"Good morning, gorgeous."

"You haven't been cleared yet."

"I have an appointment today, it's been six weeks. I feel great...and I really want you." He kisses her, reaching between her legs. She moans softly when he starts rubbing outside of her panties. 

"You need to be patient, love. I promise, as soon as you're cleared, we'll have amazing sex."

"We could have amazing sex right now." She smiles, gently pushing him back.

"No, not sex yet. But we can do other stuff." She straddles him over his boxers, grinding on him.

"But I want to feel you, lass." She smiles.

"It's gonna have to wait. The doctor has to give you the all clear before we have sex." He groans.

"It's been so long." 

"You had surgery. I suggest you go take a cold shower. Or...I could do something else." She gets up, standing next to the bed.

"Where are you going??" She slips her nightgown off, standing in just her panties. She gets on her knees, motioning him to come over to her. She pulls his pants down, kissing him. She starts teasing him with her hand until he's hard. She breaks their kiss, putting him in her mouth. He moans, biting his lip. "Fuck, lass." He holds her hair back as she looks up at him, making his cock twitch. "You look so fucking sexy when you look at me like that." She pulls him out, smiling at him.

"You know what else is hot?"

"What?"

"Me looking at you when I do this." She bites her lip, giving him her best sexy eyes. She puts him between her breast, slowly moving him between them. He moans, watching her move.

"Fuck, lass." She moves a little faster, focusing on the tip. 

"Does that feel good?"

"So fucking good."

"Do you want me to make you come?" 

"Fuck yes." He kisses her as she moves faster, making him moan. 

"I want you to come on me." He bites her lip, making her moan.

"Fuck, Jace." He felt it building up, making him moan again. His hands tangle in her hair as he kisses her. "I'm gonna come."

"Yeah?"

"You want me to come all over you?"

"Fuck yes. Come all over me." He felt it building more and more.

"Fuck, lass."

"Fucking come on me." He groans, finally coming. After a minute she pulls away, smiling. He bites his lip, seeing her chest covered. 

"This is one of the good things about surgery. We get to try a lot of new stuff."

"A lot of very sexy stuff." She wipes her chest off with her nightgown, putting on her robe. "Wanna take a shower before your appointment? No sexy stuff in there, you'll be too tempted...or maybe I will." His jaw drops.

"You're killing me." She winks, tossing some shorts at him. 

"Let's go."

********

She stands in front of him, reading some posters while he sat on the table. He looked at her face, freckles popping through, her long wavy hair hanging over her left shoulder. She wore one of his shirts with tight blue jeans and high tops. He looked at the exposed spot on her neck, sending a surge through him. He grabs her by the belt loops, pulling her to him.

"What are you-" He kisses her passionately mid sentence. She moans, wrapping her arms around his neck. He grabs her ass, biting her lip. "The doctor will be in any minute. I don't think he wants to see us dry humping each other."

"Sure he does, you're probably the most gorgeous woman he's ever seen. I know you're the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen." She moans softly, biting his lip.

"You're making it hard not to take your clothes off right now."

"You could." A knock on the door makes them pull away. She blushes when the doctor walks in, seeing her step away. He chuckles.

"I'm sorry to interrupt." Jace clears her throat.

"Sorry, it's been a little tense lately..." 

"Well, let's see if we can get him cleared then." He takes his time, checking the scar, checking over his body, checking his vitals. After what feels like forever he looks at Bobby. "Are you feeling any pain?"

"Nope."

"Shortness of breath?"

"Nope."

"Accelerated heart rate?"

"Only when I look at Jace. Which has been like that since day one." He winks at her, making her blush. She shakes her head, smiling.

"Cool it, Romeo." He shrugs, looking back at the doctor. 

"Any loss in appetite?"

"Nope."

"Loss of sleep?"

"No."

"Issues walking or running?"

"Nope." He writes notes on his paper a few minutes.

"Okay, well everything looks good. You seem to officially be healed. Still keep in mind the next couple months not to strain yourself too hard. Okay? I'll have the nurse give you the paperwork for today's visit, as well as a list of symptoms to look out for." He turns to leave, Jace calls him.

"Uh, so...is he...I mean can we...be...intimate?" The doctor smiles at her.

"Yes, he is cleared for intimacy. I'll have the nurse in with that paperwork in a couple minutes." He leaves them alone. Bobby pulls her to her, kissing her again. 

"About damn time. When we get home, I'm fucking the shit out of you." She moans.

"Finally." The nurse walks in, clearing her throat. Bobby blushes, taking the papers from her.

"Sorry, uh, thank you." Bobby takes Jace's hand, leading her out quickly. They barley make it inside the door before he pushes her against the wall. She wraps one leg around him, pushing her hips into him. He pins her arms above her head, grinding into her. She moans softly, he moves to her neck. She bites her lip, arching her back. 

"Ahem." They look over and see Miles looking at them, his eyebrows raised. Chelsea was blushing, her eyes wide. Gary had his eyes covered. Bobby shrugs.

"I'm not even sorry. It's been almost two months." He picks Jace up, she wraps her legs around his waist. Chelsea calls after them as they head to their room.

"Happy humping!!"

"Ewwwww." Gary groans. Jace laughs, waving to them. Bobby goes in, shutting the door with his foot. They quickly start getting undressed, kissing each other the whole time. Jace pulls back, putting a hand on his chest.

"Wait!"

"What? What is it, what's wrong?"

"I just want to remind you that I got my birth control out last week. So...you know. If you wanna start trying then let's go. Otherwise I also bought condoms in case you wanted to hold off a bit." He blushes.

"Oh, I definitely forgot about that part..."

"Um, so...what do you want to do?" He looks at her a minute, looking at her half naked body.

"I mean...I'm probably gonna get you pregnant no matter what. It's been a while."

"So...that means...." he smiles, kissing her softer.

"Wanna try making a baby?" She finishes getting undressed, kissing him passionately. 

"Hell yeah." He picks her up, laying her down. He gets on top of her, moving his hand down her body. She stops his hand. "Skip that part, I'm definitely ready." He smiles.

"You want me to fuck you?"

"So bad. And don't go easy." She kisses him hard, scratching his back. He thrust into her, making them both moan loudly. 

"Fuck, Jace. I'm not gonna be able to last very long." He sits up, holding both of her legs back, going deeper in her. He fucks her hard, her moans getting louder. She arches her back, gripping the sheets next to her. He liked the sexy way she bit her lip when they made love. The way her golden hair surrounded her, her hazel eyes looking into his.

"Fuck, Bobby." He rubs her clit, making her bite her lip harder. "Fuck, yes." Her moans get louder, making it harder for him to hold off.

"Fuck, lass. Come for me." After another minute he feels her tighten around him, making him almost come. He keeps rubbing, drawing out her orgasm. 

"Fuck, Bobby." He leans down, kissing her neck. He whispers in her ear.

"Want me to come in you?"

"Yes, please. Come in me." She scratches his back hard, kissing him. 

"Fuck, lass. I'm gonna come." 

"Fuck, you feel so good." He couldn't hold off any longer, thrusting into her hard, coming. 

"Fuck." He lays there a minute, trying to catch his breath. She smiles at him. "What?"

"There's a chance I'm gonna get pregnant from that." He bites his lip.

"That makes it even hotter." He kisses her softly. "But I need a minute." 

********

She kisses his neck, making him moan.

"I need food. In running on empty." She smiles.

"What do you want?" 

"Mmm, pancakes. And that potato stuff you make."

"Hash browns?"

"That's it!" She smiles.

"I can do that." She gets up, tossing him some clothes. "Come on." They get dressed, walking out. Miles claps, making Bobby blush.

"There he is! The man who deserves an applause." Chelsea waddled up to Jace, whispering in her ear. They giggle, Jace nodding. Bobby sits next to Miles and Gary. Gary crosses his arms.

"So...how goes it?"

"I'm not talking about it, mate."

"I'm okay with that." Miles groans.

"Ah, come on. I don't need details, I just wanna know what all that noise was about. You weren't quiet either." Bobby shrugs, smiling.

"She's....very talented...at a lot of stuff." 

"Nice. How kinky is she?"

"Miles!"

"What?? You don't have to tell me exactly what just on a scale of 1 to 5. 5 being whips and gags." Gary shakes his head.

"I'm not loving this conversation." Bobby laughs.

"She's probably about a 2 or 3.....I'm going with 3." 

"Nice, mate." Bobby rolls his eyes.

"I'm gonna go talk to my fiancé." Gary nods.

"Please do. I don't wanna hear this anymore."

********

Jace sits in his lap, laughing at the stories Miles was telling her about Bobby.

"Did he ever tell you about the time I caught him getting frisky with a lass in his car?" She raises her eyebrows.

"No! But please, do tell."

"Miles, don't you dare." Bobby warns. 

"Aww, come on." Jace whines. He kisses her neck, whispering in her ear.

"You're saying you'd rather hear about me sleeping with someone else? All the nasty details? Or would you rather me take you to the room and get even dirtier with you?" She blushes, biting her lip. Chelsea stares at them.

"You've already done it like three times!" Bobby smiles.

"Maybe we're just trying to be over achievers." Gary rubs his face.

"Guys, this isn't a fun conversation for me." Jace chuckles, looking at the three if them.

"Or maybe we're trying to make something happen." She winks at Bobby. Chelsea, Gary and Miles look at each, looking back at them. Miles leans forward.

"What do you mean?" Jace looks at Bobby. He smiles, looking back at them.

"We're trying." Chelsea squints her eyes.

"Trying for...." Jace wiggles her eyebrows. Chelsea gasps. "A baby?"

"Aye." Gary chokes on his tea, Chelsea pats his back.

"I'm fine, really." He clears his throat, wiping his mouth. "You're actually trying to get pregnant?" Jace nods, barely able to control her excitement.

"Mhmm. We're trying to get pregnant." Bobby tightens his arms around her waist, kissing her neck.

"Which makes it so much hotter that you can." She blushes, shivering.

"You're driving me crazy, McKenzie." Chelsea shakes her head, smiling.

"Are you not sore yet?"

"Not even a little." Gary groans again, pinching the bridge of his nose. Jace gets up, taking Bobby's hand. "Now excuse, we have something to do." Miles smiles.

"More like someone." Chelsea giggles, waving at them.


	36. March 15, 2021

Jace helps Chelsea unpack boxes in the kitchen while Miles and Bobby move furniture into the bedroom. She wipes down plates as she puts them away. Chelsea holds onto the counter for balance, trying to bend over. Jace chuckles, walking over. She picks up the tea towel she dropped.

"Go sit, hun. I've got the dishes."

"I'm fine, really."

"You're nearly 38 weeks. You need to rest as much as possible. Go. Sit. Down." Miles walks by with Bobby.

"Chelsea...sit down. Let us take care of it." She frowns, crossing her arms.

"No. I'm not gonna sit around like a bum while you lot work your asses off." Bobby's eyebrows shoot up. Miles frowns at her.

"Chelsea-"

"Do not 'Chelsea' me. You did this to me. You don't get a say right this minute." He crosses his arms. Jace jumps between them.

"Okay, okay. Let's all take a deep breath. Miles, you and Bobby go get more stuff to bring in. Chelsea, what if I bring a chair in and you sit while you wipe down the dishes? I'll put them up and you tell me where they go." Chelsea huffs.

"Fine." Miles puts his hands on his hips.

"No, no, no. What do you mean I did this to you? We were both there, don't pin this all on me."

"Well, I didn't get pregnant until you. And it's your baby. So yeah, you did this to me."

"And I've been nothing but supportive. I don't get why all of a sudden it's a crime for me to want you to rest so you don't strain yourself."

"Because I'm miserable! I can't sleep, I can't eat, she's constantly in my ribs, I can't stop peeing, my ligaments are killing me." Miles looks at Bobby.

"Are you sure you want this?" Jace frowns crossing her arms as she stares at Bobby. 

"I'm gonna say yes." He hits Miles in the arm. "Get your ass outside. Are you trying to get us both in trouble?" He pushes him towards the door, looking back at the girls. "Ignore him, sympathy pregnancy. Hormones. You look fantastic, Chelsea. I love you, Jace." He shouts as they walk out the door. Jace smiles, shaking her head.

"Those two are something else." She looks over to see Chelsea crying. She runs over, wrapping her in a hug. "What's wrong?"

"We've just been fighting so much. What if this was a big mistake? What if he ends up resenting us? I don't even know if he really did want kids."

"Hey, you're both just under a lot of stress. You have a baby growing in you. It's alright. You love each other right?"

"I don't know if he still loves me. I'm telling you, it's been constantly. I feel so alone right now. I mean I have you...but I miss my family." She rubs her back softly.

"I know it's hard. I miss mine too. Of course he still loves you. You're the mother of his daughter. Would he be moving in with you if he didn't?"

"He could just be doing it because he feels obligated. He doesn't want to be a dead beat like his dad." Jace sees Miles and Bobby walk in. Miles looks at the scene, guilt hitting him. Bobby notices Chelsea crying and frowns. He puts down the box, nudging Miles. He points to Chelsea, mouthing him to go. Miles puts down the box, walking over. He takes her hand, kissing it.

"I'm sorry, babe. I know this is really hard on you. You're doing so amazing though. We're almost there. In the next few days we'll have a gorgeous little girl that we get to love and raise together." She smiles faintly, still crying.

"So...you still wanna do this?"

"Of course I do, why wouldn't I?"

"We've just been fighting so much...I'm scared you don't love me anymore." Jace rubs Chelsea's back.

"I'm gonna help Bobby and let you two talk." She goes to pick up the box Miles puts down. Bobby shakes his head.

"Uh-uh. Not that one. Go get the one in the front seat." She rolls her eyes, walking out the door.

********

She lays in bed, Hazel cuddled up with her. She pets her absent-mindedly, not hearing Bobby come in. He lays down next to her, kissing her shoulder. Hazel raises her head, looking at him. He smiles, scratching her ear. He lays his head down, sighing.

"I'm beat, lass. Remind me to hit your cousin for bailing on us." She doesn't reply, still zoned out. He looks over at her. "Lass?" He sits up when she still doesn't answer, booping her nose. She looks up at him.

"Sorry, I zoned out."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired." She smiles at him, turning over. He looks at her a minute, moving some hair out of her face.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I know. I'm fine, really." She wraps her arms around his sides, holding him close. "Buuut maybe I can help you relax from all your hard work today?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"Fancy a massage?" He raises his eyebrows.

"A massage?"

"Yeah, those are good for sore muscles and stress, right?"

"Well, yeah."

"Don't you like those?"

"I mean, I do."

"So what's wrong with it?"

"Nothing, we just haven't done that....what if I give you one too?"

"I don't really like massages."

"How is that possible?"

"I just don't. But I like giving them." He leans down, kissing her neck.

"How about we do something we both like?" She bites her lip, putting her leg over his waist.

"Get on your back." She pushes him back, shooing Hazel before she gets on top of him. She runs her hands over his firm abs, over the tattoos on his chest. She admires every muscle, every mark, every detail. Her eyes trail up his neck, counting his freckles. She follows his strong jaw, looking over every inch of him. She finally looks into his amber eyes.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Dinnae ken. I've never seen that look before and I've studied the faces you make a thousand times. What's wrong?" She smiles, shaking her head.

"Nothing. Sometimes I like to just admire you, you're incredibly sexy." He blushes, making her giggle. She runs a nail lightly over his abs, up to his chest. She leans down, kissing him. "Wanna go take a shower?" He looks at her suspiciously. "What?"

"What's bothering you? I know something is, I feel it. Somethings off."

"Babe, I promise I'm fine. Do you wanna go take a shower or not?" She kisses his neck, grinding against him. He couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong.

"Lass-" She kisses him, stopping him from finishing his sentence. She kisses him passionately, making him forget what he was trying to say.

"Make love to me." He gently rolls them over, getting on top of her. He takes his time kissing her, touching her. His lips barely leaves hers, soaking up every second he kisses her. She clings to him, never letting go of him. Even when he tries to sit up so she can get undressed. He frowns.

"Jace, I'm not doing anything else until you talk to me. It doesn't feel right doing this. Not when you're upset. Talk to me. What's wrong?" She looks at him a moment, looking into his eyes.

"Do you love me?"

"You know I do. More than anything."

"And you're sure?"

"100%. You're the love of my life."

"Promise."

"Of course I do."

"Even when we have a baby?"

"If anything I'll love you more."

"Are you sure?" He sits up, looking at her worriedly.

"Jacinda, what's going on? Are you...having second thoughts about us?"

"No! Not even a little bit, I love you times a million." He takes her hand in his, tangling their fingers.

"Then tell me what's bothering you." She sighs, rolling over onto her stomach. 

"I didn't think....Chelsea and Miles. They were doing great a month ago...but now they can't stop fighting. I'm worried they won't last or they'll fall out of love with each other. I thought they would stay together for sure. They seem perfect for each other. They managed to have a healthy long distance relationship. But if those two can't make it...how can we? What if you start resenting me when we have a baby? What if you get tired of me but stay just because of the baby? What if you stop loving me?" He clenches his jaw. _**I'm gonna kill Miles.**_ He thinks a minute. 

"Get dressed." She sits up, frowning. 

"What?" 

"Get dressed. I want to show you something." 

********

He pulls over on the side of the road.

"Close your eyes. No peaking. Promise?" She stares at him. "Jace, please just trust me." She sighs, closing her eyes. When they get there he looks over at her. "Stay there, I'm coming to get you out." He guides her out of the car, walking her forward. "Okay, open." She opens, seeing her old house she lived in as a kid. 

"Why are we here?" He holds out his hand, leading her inside. She looks around, frowning. "What...what is this?" Some of the walls have new dry wall up, some walls torn down. The floorboards are ripped up, showing concrete with foundation repairs. All the old furniture is gone, it's been dusted and wiped down. She turns and looks at him.

"This is a project me and the lads have been working on. Come on." He walks her over to the wall in the hallway. "The walls with holes have been torn down so we can put new drywall on." He leads her to the kitchen. "We're gonna update the counters and get new cabinets, these are rotted. But I like the lay out. We're thinking of tearing this wall down and making it open concept and adding an island. And then over here, we're gonna put a big window so there's more natural light." She smiles at him.

"You're...you're renovating this place?"

"That's not even the best part. This is where we've made the most progress." He leads her down the hall to the master bedroom. The walls are completely redone and painted light green. The window was replaced with a newer, bigger window. The floors were now dark wood. The light switch faces changed from the cheap white plastic to sleek buffed nickle. The light on the ceiling replaced with a dark brown ceiling fan with crystal covers on the lights. Tears start forming.

"It doesn't even look like the same room." 

"That's the point." He walks out the room without another word. She follows him to her old room. The door hand been replaced too. She sees this room has been redone, and redecorated to a degree. The walls were white, but there was baby furniture inside. She covers her mouth, looking around. They replaced then fan, the light switches, the floors, the windows, they hung plain white curtains, a rocker sat in the corner. A changing table next to the crib. She looks at him, tears pouring down her face.

"You...you did all this?" 

"With Miles and Gary too...but yeah. You said you wanted to fix this place up." He walks up to her, taking both her hands in his. "Look, Miles and Chelsea are gonna make it. They're just worried and stressed right now. That happens to every couple. It'll happen to us at some point. But, I'm not going anywhere. When I gave you that ring, it meant I was giving all of me to you. There's nothing you can say or do that's gonna make me walk away. I promise I won't resent you when we finally become parents. It's gonna be hard, but I'll have you by my side. With you, I can do anything." She sniffles, smiling. "No matter what, we're in this together. I will always love you and our kids." She throws her arms around him.

"How did I get so lucky to find you?"

"I think that to myself every single day when I wake up next to you." She looks at him, love shining in her eyes.

"You're perfect."

"Far from it. But I'd do anything for you to see you smile." She stands on her tippy toes, kissing him.

"You are the most incredible man I've ever met. Our kids are gonna be so lucky to have you as their father."

"They're gonna have an amazing mum too." She smiles at him. "Does this help you feel better about us?" She nods.

"It seems so silly now."

"It's not silly. Sometimes I worry the same stuff...but then you smile at me or wrap your arms around me. Sometimes when you play with Hazel or we hold hands when we take her on walks...I start noticing every little thing you do during our life together...and the way you look at me sometimes...it makes me realize this is something really rare." She bites her lip.

"What about when I do other things?"

"Oh definitely during that too." She laughs.

"How about we go home and I show you how much I love you?"

"As long as it's not because you're trying to distract me...like before."

"I promise it will solely be because I love you and you love me." 

"Then I am so there." He takes her hand, leading her out. She pauses, looking around the room one more time. Her hand goes to her stomach, making her sigh. He sees the look on her face, his heart sinking. He turns her to look at him. "Hey, it'll happen. We've only been trying a little over a month. Give it time, lass. We'll get there." She smiles sadly. 

"I know." She looks around the room one more time. "I just want this baby so bad."

"I do too, and we'll get them. I promise." The whole way home she started giving him ideas on what to do with the house. How she wanted all the rooms to be painted in colors.

"I don't want any white walls. I love the color of the floors though. Is that going through the whole house? What about the other two rooms? What will those be?"

"I figured we could turn one into your office and the other into a guest bedroom."

"Perfect. I want a big roll top desk for the office, like the one at my old house in America. But the decor should be much more colorful. I hated how dark Dad made it. Speaking of which, do my parents know about this?"

"Of course. I wanted their opinions on stuff. They said they want to pay for the kitchen remodel."

"Why?"

"They said as a house warming present."

"Do they know we're trying?"

"I don't think so. I was waiting to see what you wanted to do about that."

"I wanna wait until we're actually pregnant."

"Then we'll wait." She looks over at him and smiles.

"I can't believe you did all this for me." He glances at her, smiling.

"I love you. You said you wanted to fix it up but you've been so busy with trying to get the camp started, and I wanted you to have that."

"Well, what about Gary?"

"Katrina is gonna move here and move in with him."

"Really??? When?"

"When we get a better idea on when the flat will be done. But definitely before the wedding no matter what. So she can attend." 

"I'm happy they're working out."

"Me too. He seems to really love her."

"They're cute together." He chuckles. 

"Not as cute as us though." She kisses his cheek.

"No one is cuter than us."


End file.
